Pictures and captions ... not sure if I'll find something everyday, but it's going to be fun to look. This account (sorry, don't know the name -- I don't follow it, just see it occasionally) does it in this format. It's creative. Mine aren't nearly as clever, but, again, fun to practice. If I see the account again, I'll note the name (maybe even follow it).
Dear diary,
Today I saw a frustrated fungi and ...
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| (blue ball .. hahaha) |
... a leaf practicing levitation ...
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| (hard to see) |
... and a tree with a heart of stone.
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| (but lovable anyway) |
I hiked (10.5 miles, 1800 elevation) and my feet were miserable from the jump. I don't think the trail runners have enough support. I ordered new shoes and this should help a lot. Otherwise I was fine. Tired by the end, but it's not a hard hike.
The 2 hikes I'm training for are 11.5 and 12.5 miles with 2600 elevation. I'm more concerned about the mileage than the elevation.
I registered for 2 training hikes with the club. One has a 1/4 mile of ridge line and I'm going to challenge myself to do it. It's dangerous if it's wet because it's sloped granite. If rain is expected, I'll drop the hike though. 4 miles are a steep climb up and down all granite before a long loop in the woods. I don't want to die on the ridge line (hah) or get injured slipping on the mountain.
Hiking for hours left me time to think.
Something on my mind was I'm missing SMALL things in my day-to-day that make me happy. Like noticing and taking pictures. The day is too crowded. I'm saying 'yes' too much. Leaving that space leaves space for those small things. Time to make a last minute garden donation. Time to read a poem with my coffee. Time to text a friend more thoughtfully.
AND, I'm starting to play SMALL with my life again. Not choosing the bigger life. Go out at night -- eeek, no. Choose harder hikes with a long drive -- nah. Make an effort to plan travel -- I'm too busy.
It's an odd dichotomy -- missing small bits and needing to play bigger. It's along the lines of what Gretchen Rubin says, give yourself grace and expect more from yourself. Both sides of a coin.
I'm course correcting both (again!!!). My default seems to be the opposite. It happens slowly and I don't notice it early on. Usually some circumstance comes into play that starts the change (appropriately so) but then I continue off course well after the circumstance is finished.
It feels good to back on track. Even this trip to Asheville. I almost talked myself out of it a couple of days ago because driving a big rental SUV (playing small) is out of my wheelhouse. I'm perfectly capable of driving a bigger vehicle. Going another time to setup for the kids is massively inconvenient. I don't want to get smaller and smaller as I age. I have the freedom and the health to live as large as I want right now and what a life disappointment to not take advantage of that privilege.
So I'm going large today -- large car, "large" decision.
And, I'm going small. Finding the little moments I love.
Hope you have a good day.
Later gators.
P.S. I title the post after I write it. I particularly like this one today. 😍
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