Just Rest
Have you ever had “one of those days” when you have just had enough? Well, to be honest with you Gentle Travelers, by the time summer 2024 rolled around, I felt like I had had “one of those months!”
The tail end of spring was filled with excitement, learning new skills (like how to put make-up on after 50 years), and a family trip up the coast for my cousin’s fancy-smancy wedding. The wedding was amazing, the outfit (and makeup) was a success, and even Ms. D looked like she was having a good time in her mama’s old stomping grounds (despite a minor tick infestation that we promptly remedied by moving locations… gross).
Anyway, by all accounts, this last Winnie excursion was a total success. Fun was had by all, family got to spend time together, sights were seen, and memories were made. What’s more, Winnie ran like a trouper through the windy roads between San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles.
Still, by the time I packed it all up and was about to head back down the 5 towards O’side, I was feeling tired, burned out, worn out, and just plain fatigued. I knew I needed just a few more days to rest and recoup. But how? After all, I had so much to do…
Sometimes the “still, small voice within” calls to you and you actually listen.
Rest. Just rest. It said. So I did.
While the beginning and middle of May was crazy-busy with prep and travel and the entire month of June has been consumed with me working like a mad woman trying to catch up with work I didn’t do when I was traveling, there was (and always will be) that tiny slice of time …four precious, glorious days as spring came to a close and summer entered the scene…where I did absolutely nothing but sleep, eat, and watch the waves role along the Central California shore.
Rest. Just rest.
The time I spent in Morro Bay, California during those four days is like a healing balm I get to now carry with me when things get crazy in my day-to-day life. You know how it is. One thing builds upon another and panic sets in. Or depression. Or whatever. Stress. Deadlines, finances, relationship “stuff,” more.
Then I breathe and remember the sound of the seagulls in the early morning, the tiny purple flowers and giant pieces of driftwood that look like dinosaur bones buried in the dunes, the song of a lonely musician working for tips at the local fish place along the harbor, the sight of that massive beetle-shaped rock jutting out to the sea, and the question that inevitably came to my mind whenever I looked at it.
How in the world did it get there?
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I didn’t do as many videos in June as I would have liked, but the ones I did were heart-felt, so I hope you like them:
-Creston, California was where I spent my time with a horse called “Trish” and some cowgirl friends all through my junior high school years and a little bit into high school. During our family vacation, we got a chance to explore the ‘ol stomping grounds. We even found the broken down trailer where we used to live out in the “boonies” so long ago, or at least the property where the trailer used to sit. I hope you enjoy this video. It was a lot of fun to create and I hope it is just as fun to watch!
Have you ever visited a place you used to live so long ago? How did it feel for you?
-The other video was shot in Morro Bay. It definitely has a slower pace, to match the pace I was in when I was there. In it, I encourage taking the time to rest, recoup, and regain strength when you need to; this is sometimes the hardest part of any healing journey, but it can often be the most important part!
The video is also filled with pictures of the sea and ragged beaches and contains a little dialogue about pinecones and bunny behavior as well. 😉
Have you ever had a time when you decided to listen to that “still, small voice” that said rest? Are you glad that you did?
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I hope you enjoy these two videos and that you have a glorious, amazing, full-of-freedom time in July!
See you on the road,
Nikki P. and Ms. D :)
