The days have been long. The days have been intense. The days have been beyond anything I could imagine. It is 2020.
However…there have been joys in the long days. There has been laughter in the intensity. There has been beauty beyond what I could imagine. And I don’t want to lose sight of that!
This season – 2020 – has been different than any other challenge I’ve gone through. It is not necessarily harder, but different. Some of the challenges in this season have sent me back to lessons learned during previous pressure filled seasons. The lessons have reminded me of opportunities – choices I can make. Oh, the opportunities… the opportunities feel similar. The living out of these opportunities may look different, but they are opportunities to extend grace, to extend a smile, to extend a hand of friendship, and opportunities to be a person who loves. There are opportunities to be thankful.
——————————————————————————————————————–
The circumstances of this season have reminded me to stick with what I know. The lesson of not jumping ahead has been a trustworthy truth! Remembering to live now and celebrate life is trustworthy!
——————————————————————————————————————–
It can be hard to focus when there is so much noise around me. It can be hard to choose wisely in the opportunities before me with so many distractions that attack my heart and mind. The world is weary. People are tired and fearful. In those states of mind, reactions are intense.
——————————————————————————————————————–
My husband and I recently returned from a time of adventure, which means it was a time of refreshment for me. We had tried to set out on this adventure twice before in recent months, but life struggles got in the way. I didn’t think the third time would happen because – it is 2020 – and that seems to be the course. But the night before, I packed and off we went.
We experienced JOY. We experienced LAUGHTER. We experienced BEAUTY beyond our imagination. We can experience this in our daily environment, and we seek to do so. But what a great thing it was to have new surroundings to reset my heart and mind.
We hiked in White River National Forest, at Colorado National Monument, in Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park. Each trail presented unique vistas and unique challenges. What became common to each trail was finding a good sittin’ rock.
The first sittin’ rock of our many days of hiking was necessary as we were adjusting to the change in altitude and the ascent was getting to me. My husband wisely directed me to a sittin’ rock that set the precedent for finding “a good sittin’ rock” and together we sat in silence. We stopped. We absorbed the views. We took in the silence. We slowed our breathing. In this time, I reminded myself of the lessons learned of being in the moment and of sticking with what I know. Sticking with what I know at that moment, meant acknowledging I was on an adventure in a spectacular place, with my favorite adventure person, and I was reminded of all that remains unchanged in this strange season!
Those good sittin’ rocks became signals for me to stop, slow my breathing, take in the views, reflect on what I know to be true, and to celebrate life. Initially, it was Tony who found the good sittin’ rock. How thankful I am for his wisdom. I don’t think he could’ve known how important this would become for me. I didn’t need most of the future sittin’ rocks for catching physical breathes, but I did need them for health reasons that impacted my soul and mind.
At one of the last sittin’ rock moments on this journey, my husband caught me with a slight smile and took a pic. We were in Arches National Park in The Garden of Eden. It was chilly and quiet. Tony asked what had prompted my smile. I told him that when I got to “Q” I just had to smile. I had been running through my A to Z list of who God is and Q is “He quiets my soul.” The smile was spontaneous.
In coming days, my sittin’ rocks will look different. But I seek to be mindful to slow down, find the silence, take in my surroundings, celebrate life and allow Him to quiet my soul.
My encouragement to you — look for a good sittin’ rock!
dianegratopp 