soul vitamins

Soul vitamins. That's what Danielle LaPorte calls the things in your life that rejuvenate you, lift your spirit and give you life. I live in a cement box, otherwise known as an apartment, that cuts me off from what is alive in this world and to my connection to it all.

I go out this afternoon and 30 seconds on the trail and I can feel all the bullshit start sliding off: the worries, stress, decisions, upsets, resistances, doubts, lack. It just disappears. And just like that, my heart and soul return home. Home to knowing they are powerful, whole, complete, made of the Divine, the Universal Intelligence that is all around us.

When I am here, amongst the trees, dirt, birds, bugs, water rushing over rocks centuries old... I know why I am in this life. I am here to be a part of this. I am here to be out among it, not hiding from it. I am here to connect people, especially women, to their spirits, their strengths and to each other through this glorious, miraculous, abundant planet. I am here to see wonders that my heart will never forget, beauty that alters the mind and human spirit, to connect people to this in their souls such that they would never have the merest trace of a thought of abusing this place we call home. I am here to see this world, the people in it, to be big and bold and love. To be the space where all people can show up as whole and complete. This is my declaration.

I have been holding out on myself. Holding out on my joy, pleasure and receiving of play and fun in this life! I have been holding onto hurts that don't serve me and haven't for years. I just read a line that touched me: don't go looking for happiness where you lost it.

I am free. Free to be who I am. Free to go where I please. Free to be expressed. Free to choose my freedom (or not).

Sometimes, life throws you a curveball and it can suck. It can feel shitty and hard and brutal. And then, we get to let that go. Get up. Look up. When I look up at those trees growing, for years, to reach the sunlight, the open sky, to see beyond all the undergrowth... I know that anything is possible. That I am not here by accident. That I too, am growing to my light.

Are you doing what you came here to do? Or are you going through the paces? Are you telling your kids that they can grow up to be anything but you're too afraid to quit the job that is stable but that you hate? Are you in a relationship that feels safe but keeps shrinking you, burying who you are?

Stop it. That's enough. It can be the scariest feeling in the world to declare what you want to do with your self in this world. People might laugh at you, tell you you can't, ignore you, leave you. Let them. You are the only one you have to live with.

So, go.... go LIVE. That's the only reason we're here.

a walk in the city

I have been trying to get together with a friend of mine and do a photography meetup and we finally made it happen this weekend! 

We were in the city which is definitely not my usual style! But it was fun to be out and about, meeting new people and taking some night pics that I don't usually get to do :)

 

 

 

 

 

a run in the woods

One of the things I wanted to do for my birthday was take a hike. With kids, that can mean a couple different things, usually: meandering about in one area for awhile and not going anywhere or getting pretty far out and carrying a child back to the start. 

In this case, I was impressed that Benjamin did almost all the hiking... or shall we say, running. He and Jacob ran almost the whole time and had a great time wearing themselves out. 

And it was great for me to reconnect with the outdoors, take some time to remember why I care about this beautiful planet and the people on it. 

Good ol' fashioned fun :)

The hand was photobombing him but it's a mostly natural smile

He asked me to take his picture while he posed like this

Ah, a monster!!

 

wait, I have a blog?

Alright.... so it's been awhile. I've had some other stuff taking precedent. And I'm looking to start something new in a little bit.... 

But, for now, I'll post some pictures here.

It's always so relaxing to go out into the world and capture the beauty around me. To open my eyes and look around. It's always right there.

going outside

I remember as child, going out to the nature center with my family. We'd pile in the car, my grandma would pack a lunch and we'd head out. We'd decide on a trail, the lake loop or the forest, take a brief stop in the center itself and be off. 

I always wanted to go through the woods and I particularly enjoyed these hikes in the colder months. The fall in Michigan felt like a quieting time for the earth; clouds coming in to cover us like a quilt, stilling the world around us and the bright sunny days of summer activity shifting to the slow, darker days of fall and winter. We'd stop to feed the chickadees and nuthatches; holding very still with a handful of sunflower seeds, the little birds would eventually come and perch every so lightly on our fingertips, the claws tiny tickly pokes on our skin, and quickly take a seed before fluttering away. The distinct cheeing of the chickadees making a soft background sound in the quiet. 

After our hike, we'd come back to the car and enjoy our lunch which always tasted better, being eaten outside. Cheese and crackers, maybe some salami, cookies and little tins of grapefruit juice or some hot chocolate on the colder days. 

These were times to reconnect with each other and with ourselves. A time to rejuvenate after being in the hustle of 'things to do' in our days. For me, they were always times that reassured me that everything would work out just fine. Nature has a way of reminding us of that. That no matter what happens, things go on. I find that comforting.

The kids and I went out on Friday. Even though there were some complaints that we weren't going to a playground, they both said they enjoyed themselves by the end. 

It's pretty funny trying to get these two rascals to take a picture together and have them both look.... happy or at least normal. Here are some of the shots it took to get there.

Yes, I had to bribe Jacob to take his picture. And sometimes Benjamin too. I most definitely had to throw in some poop talk to get a genuine smile from Jacob. But I consider it well worth it :)