Last week I shared with you a section of the book, The Soul of a Pilgrim: Eight Practices for the Journey Within. It's a resource I'm using to prepare for my upcoming Camino journey, but on a broader level, one for looking at the internal journey that we're all walking. In the book, Christine Valters … Continue reading Internal Pilgrimage: Questioning Long-Held Assumptions
The Pilgrimage Within
Two months from next Wednesday, I'll set off for my Camino journey. On August 5th, I'll fly to Porto, Portugal the starting point for my trek that'll last for 17 days and 173 miles. I've been training--more or less, over the past few months, building my time in my trail running shoes, walking for hours … Continue reading The Pilgrimage Within
Memorial Day: The Sacrifices of War
Tomorrow we observe Memorial Day in the United States. According to an article on the history of this holiday, it was created to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history This came immediately after the Civil War in 1865 which "claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. … Continue reading Memorial Day: The Sacrifices of War
Wait on the Lead
Throughout my life, I've found it hard to wait. And now, our world is going at such a fast pace that we find our environment is not conducive to waiting. Growing up in the country, when I was a young girl living on a farm, the pace of life was much slower and there was … Continue reading Wait on the Lead
My Mother, My Teacher
Today is Mother's Day and I think of Mama and all that she taught me. I realize, now that I'm older and a mother and grandmother, that our mothers did the best they could based on all that formed them. Mama, was born in 1923 and grew up in rural North Carolina during the Great … Continue reading My Mother, My Teacher
Take Good Care: Treasuring Our Time and Energy
This week I continued to train for the Camino. With my date for leaving now three months away, I need to be more focused and spend longer with my feet in my boots. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with how to prepare and do the other things in my life. But then I feel grateful that … Continue reading Take Good Care: Treasuring Our Time and Energy
Go Forth in the Flow of Your Life
This weekend I made a return trip to the mountains of North Carolina to see my friends, Paula and David. Last November--after six years of not seeing each other, I visited with them in their home near Sparta Hike Over Bluff Mountain: Friendship Continued. Now, five months later, we had our recent time together to refer … Continue reading Go Forth in the Flow of Your Life
Preparing for the Journey: Pack Light
As we move on through April, and my August journey to Portugal is drawing closer, I find myself reading and writing more about what's ahead. My current journal was given to me by a friend who knew about my yearly solo trips. It's covered in old world maps and throughout there are quotes about travel. … Continue reading Preparing for the Journey: Pack Light
Cycle of Life: A Time to Plant
We're almost to mid-April and the official end of the threat of frost in central North Carolina. My grandmother consulted the Farmer's Almanac for advice on planting and now I consult with my Master Gardener, Brother-in-Law, Winslow. He recommends putting things in the ground after April 15th. To prepare for planting, I bought my seed … Continue reading Cycle of Life: A Time to Plant
Follow Your Intuition
For years, I've had the practice of taking a yearly Solo Journey. This started by accident, "serendipitously" --I like to say. I took my first one to Sedona, Arizona in 2001 following eight months of breast cancer treatment. Four years after that trip, I took an "intentional" one for my 50th birthday present to Jekyll … Continue reading Follow Your Intuition