No Man is an Island

It is true that we cannot walk this path alone. Of all the things in life that we need in order to survive, perhaps the greatest of these is, in fact, love.

Life can be trying at times. Sometimes the burdens we bear seem unbearable. But when we are surrounded by those who love us, suddenly those burdens become lighter. When things seem dark, love and support allow a little light to shine in. Simply knowing that we are not alone can turn a seemingly desperate situation into one that is manageable.

If there is someone in your life who has been that beacon of hope for you, take a moment to reflect on that act of kindness and remember how it felt. Then pass it on. We can all make the world a better place for someone. We can all share the load. :)

The Hat Has Spoken

Sometimes you have to shake it up. So when my significant other suggested a couple of weeks ago that we take an international trip next year, I decided we should make it fun. So here's what I suggested:

We each pick 3 places that were reasonably traversable in roughly a ten day period.

We don't tell each other our selections.

We put them in a hat.

We draw one out.

And away we go!!

So that's what we did. :) Narrowing it down to three wasn't easy. I'll admit my selections came down to the wire. But we did it!

And...drumroll please....

We're going to PERU!!!! We are both very excited. Let the planning and adventure begin!

HeartBodyMindSoul

It stands to reason that on the path to finding meaning in our lives, we must take care of ourselves along the way. That is not to say that the occasional hangover isn't worth it. ;) After all, how fun is a perfectly straight path?? So let's just say we need to ensure that on the scale of being good to ourselves we have a net positive. :)

But there are a lot of steps to taking care of ourselves. We must ensure that we are taking care of our bodies, nurturing our souls, challenging our minds, and opening our hearts. In my quest for meaning, I'm trying to ensure that I am consciously pursuing all of these goals. I'm opening my heart in ways I never have before, breaking down walls long ago constructed. I've started attending the YMCA, and am loving every minute of it. (Working out is so much more fun than watching what I eat!!) I've been able to read more this summer, and my mind is grateful for the brain food after being a bit starved for far too long! As far as feeding my soul goes....this is probably the most important, and the one that is most elusive. I'm learning that there is a difference between traveling and soul traveling. Traveling just to see vs. traveling to grow and experience. Since travel has become such a staple for experience in my life, I want to ensure that when I do so, I'm choosing the latter. This is a goal that I can move forward with soon, with a couple of visits to the west coast on my horizon! Wish me luck!