Do What Makes You Happy

Every Friday morning for the past few months, I leave the house while our (wonderful) babysitter comes over and hangs out with Emerson.  A step Jared and I took to help out with the life balance thing that can sometimes be hard to attain with little ones. I look very much forward to my "Friday's off" but have to admit that finding things to occupy my time for four hours was not as easy as I thought it would be. I tried Dahn Yoga...definitely not for me. Coffee and computer time at Starbucks was okay for a little while. Shopping got old fast. And with the few friends we have here working, lunch dates were not an option. Luckily, Heather and I were able to meet up a couple of times and she showed me some beautiful trails around the South Bay. Last week we went hiking near her home and I knew that I would be returning here in the weeks to come. 

You see, I've been thinking about what makes me feel fulfilled. Where I find contentment and honestly it isn't in a Target or a Mall. It isn't sitting behind my computer, scrolling through pins or reading about other people's lives on their blogs. And while I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with these things, I absolutely enjoy them all in moderation, I found that I was consistently turning to these exact activities to occupy my time and thoughts. It wasn't good for me. 

As long as I can remember, I have felt happy in the outdoors. On quiet beaches and woodsy trails is where I feel the most centered. The most at peace. Even in my college days, when life was crazy and moderation wasn't a word in my vocabulary, I would escape to these places from time to time. So yesterday, I ditched the coffee shops and stores and headed back to the trails I hiked along last week with Heather. Where horses far outnumber people. Camera in hand, I walked and walked and walked. Smiling. Finding happiness in the way the trees draped over  the path. Enjoyment in watching the dust dancing in the sun's rays. Fulfillment in the natural beauty of this place. It was exactly where I needed to be and exactly what I needed to do. 

Sometimes with all the stores and technology and access to so much stuff, there seems to be too much static in life. And although I'm thankful for this ease of access, escaping it is sometimes necessary.

Someday, someday in a cloud of gray
I will,
I'll make my great escape.
~Brett Dennon