Musings – Page 2 – Paint Your Landscape

Time to Wake Up!

February 22, 2018February 22, 2018LuAnn

This is my first stream of consciousness post. Normally I take lots of time, ruminate on my words, maybe even fret a bit on how those words will be perceived. But after the most recent school shooting in this country, which occurred on a day normally reserved for symbols of love (Valentines’ Day), my concern is not for which words I choose but rather sharing my raw thoughts.

Today, after reading some of the outrageous tweets by our “so-called” leader and listening to the CPAC Convention speech by Wayne LaPierre, NRA (National Rifle Association) Chief, I have to vocalize the question my hubby asked me today. “Is our country going bat-shit crazy”? LaPierre feels that we need to arm every American, that “it takes a good guy with a gun to take down a bad guy with a gun”. Yes, let’s arm our teachers so they can get thrown into the shootouts (imagine an emoticon for outrage here). As I watched this NRA Chief blame the media and the FBI and take no responsibility for the gun laws we currently have in this country, and not even mention the loss of these most recent innocent 17 at the hands of a gunman, I feel the fabric that has for so long held this country together, slowly unraveling.

I cannot imagine anything more heart-wrenching than to receive the news that your child was gunned down by a student with an automatic rifle, a weapon used in wartime. You watched this beautiful child a few hours earlier head off to school with her friends, after giving you a big hug and kiss goodbye, saying she would see you later that evening for dinner. And now this child, who gives your life meaning, that beautiful, creative child, lies dead in the classroom of a building that should have been a safe haven. How do you grapple with that all-consuming grief? She was not my child, but when I watched a mother, who had just finished making funeral arrangements for her 14-year old daughter, scream at the leader of this country to do something, it took my breath away. Her grief was palpable and echoed the cries of all those many people who far too often succumb to gun violence in this country.

I have heard lots of hollow words tossed about by those in this country who have taken “blood money” from the NRA, many focusing on the fact that we need to fix the mental illness issue in this country, and yes, that is a complex issue that needs so much more attention. What seems to be an easier fix, one that can be addressed now, is to make certain that those with mental illness cannot get their hands on a weapon. But instead, recent relaxed gun laws make it easier for these same individuals to get a weapon, in record time I might add. Right now we can expand background checks, increase the age of people allowed to purchase weapons, and extend the waiting period for getting a gun, which are all easy fixes. Then, let’s have a conversation about getting rid of “bump stocks”. No, let’s not. Instead how about we just not allow anyone in this country, except those in law enforcement and the military, to purchase automatic weapons? Today, in some states in this country, you can purchase an AR15 automatic weapon at age 18. Seriously, WTF?!

On the heels of yet another gun tragedy that has shaken this country to its core, we watch as our children become the leaders that we should have been. The changes that we adults have not been able to bring about may well rest in the hands of our children. I have watched how eloquently and passionately these children have spoken to the media and to our leaders, immediately after the deaths of their friends, some who literally had to walk by their dead friends to escape their hiding places after the carnage. Although I get goosebumps each time I re-watch these interviews, and I feel such a sense of awe and wonder at their maturity, I too am saddened that they have to be the ones to carry this torch. Why should our children have to wage this battle? Why can’t our elected officials do the easy work to enact laws to protect our citizens? If any of us wondered about what kind of leaders this next generation of children will become, we should wonder no more.

For those who have not had the chance to listen to the song “Shine” that the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County, Florida wrote and sang after the Valentines’ Day gun massacre at their school, go here. It will bring you to tears.

And for those who wonder what our gun culture is compared to other countries, here is an interesting news article.

Our children are telling us it is time to wake up. Will we answer that wake-up call?

On This Memorable Day… My Fervent Wish

January 15, 2018January 15, 2018LuAnn

Today, when we honor Martin Luther King, Jr., a man who lived through so much bigotry and climbed a mountain of hate trying to win simple rights for his people, I feel the need to speak up. I fear by remaining silent I am complicit in normalizing the abhorrent behavior I see in my country, perpetrated far too often by our so-called leader. Quite honestly, I am horrified and extremely saddened to see what is happening here, to see how divided we have become, to see how truth is being shunned, a simple value I believe we were all taught very early in life. I believe those who know me well see me as a calm person, but right about now I feel anything but. I am outraged and fear that it is either speak up or step outside my front door and scream at the top of my lungs.

I do not see this post as a political plug, although many may see it as such. Having said that, I do not want to have a discourse on who you may have voted for and why. I think we are long past trying to convince others of our views. We have all earned the right to vote as we wish and I respect that and hope that more of us exercise this right.

Because the blogosphere brings millions of talented people from around the globe together, I am writing this post more for those outside this country who may follow my musings (and I am so grateful for your presence). I feel it is essential to remind you that the majority of us, in the country of my birth, do not embrace the views that are presently being espoused by our current administration, those of divisiveness, bigotry, closed borders, “alternate facts”. We are a country founded on immigrants; we embrace diversity; we are open-minded and compassionate; we honor the truth. Our innate instincts are to be kind, to welcome others, to embrace all humanity. Please, please do not see us through the eyes of an administration many of us pray will be short-lived. We welcome you with open arms and hope you will do so with those of us who love to travel abroad.

So today we honor Martin Luther King, Jr., an activist and civil rights icon who preached nonviolence, even after his home was bombed and he was subjected to physical abuse, and until the time his all-too-short life was snuffed out by an assassin’s bullet. During his life he received the Nobel Peace Prize, and when notified of this award, announced he would turn the prize money over to the civil rights movement, to further their cause. I cannot think of a better time to honor this man and all that he stood for. I want to hold onto that same hope for a better future for our country that he had.

We will be marching again on March 20th, the anniversary of the initial Women’s March. We will be marching for women’s rights, immigrant’s rights, reproductive rights, civil rights, economic justice and environmental rights. If you believe in these issues and have a scheduled march in your area, please consider joining in.

My sincere hope is that we take a few minutes today to reflect upon how vitally important it is for each of our voices to be heard. Silence is not the answer.

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If I Made New Year’s Resolutions…

December 30, 2017December 30, 2017LuAnn

I am not one to make New Year’s Resolutions. I tell myself that I attempt to live a “good life” each day, or could it be that I fear I might break these resolutions soon after they are made? 😉 Whatever the reason, I find myself reflecting upon another finalized chapter of our life as 2017 draws to a close. As we move into a new year, I wonder how our next chapter will be written.

Here are 10 concepts, in no particular order, that speak to me, and that I hope to see more of in 2018:

1/ Speak Your Truth

“To sin by silence, when we should protest, makes cowards out of men.” ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Opening lines of a piercing poem titled “Protest”, written at the peak of the Women’s Suffrage movement and just as WWI was about to erupt. This is “an anthem for our own time”.

The ability to speak our truth in a loving and respectful manner is a trait that I value. The day I found my voice, when I didn’t feel obliged to tell someone what I thought they needed to hear but rather what I truly felt, was an awakening for me. I believe our inability to lift the veil of silence diminishes our authentic self, prevents us from seeing other viewpoints, and holds us back from learning.

2/ The Gift of Nature

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” ~ Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

To anyone who knows me well, or has read my blog (and I am very grateful for that), it is no secret than I am passionate about the natural world and our public lands. I am at my best when unencumbered by the trappings of modern life. Looking out over a beautiful vista, I feel totally consumed by nature, with a peek into the understanding of knowing who I am becoming, who I want to be.

3/ Living a Curious Life

“I have a notion that if you are going to be spiritually curious, you better not get cluttered up with too many material things.” ~ Mary Oliver

We are all born with the gift of curiosity. I believe that when we stop being inquisitive, we detach and become dispassionate. For the rest of my life, no matter how short, I want to remain curious about people, places, things, myself.

4/ Truth Matters

“We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters…that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules…and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.” ~ Michelle Obama

I learned from a very early age, as so many of us were taught, the importance of being truthful. This year more than any, I have been saddened by how so many in positions of power have tossed aside the notion that truth matters not. My sincere hope for 2018 is that we all understand how vitally important truth is to a healthy society.

5/ All You Need is Love

“Understanding someone’s suffering is the best gift you can give another person. Understanding is love’s other name. If you don’t understand, you can’t love.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh, How to Love

What can I say about this topic that hasn’t already been said, in poem, song, or letter? As the Beatles sang, “All you need is love, love, love is all you need.” If we all lived by this creed, what would our world look like?

6/ Let’s Get Healthy

“Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.” ~ B.K.S. Iyengar

I embrace the notion that physical health plays an enormous role in our emotional well-being. My spirit is never so buoyed as when my body feels strong.

7/ Practice Gratitude

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” ~ Melody Beattie

I will be forever grateful for the people in my life who accept me for who I am, for the experiences I have been gifted, for the time allowed me to live each day fully.

8/ That Little Voice…Hope

“Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. It is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency. Hope should shove you out the door, because it will take everything you have to steer the future away from endless war, from the annihilation of the earth’s treasures and the grinding down of the poor and marginal… To hope is to give yourself to the future – and that commitment to the future is what makes the present inhabitable.” ~ Rebecca Solnit, Hope in the Darkness

Hope is that little voice within us that in the darkest of times whispers, “You can endure this. It will be ok.” Where would we be without it?

9/ Laughter is the Best Medicine

My beloved friend Barb, who will forever be tucked away in my heart.

“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” ~ e e cummings

Laughter is said to be the best medicine, triggering both positive physical and emotional changes in our body. Who of us hasn’t benefited from a good belly laugh?

10/ Travel, Roam, Explore, Discover

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” ~ Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad/Roughing It

As long as I am capable, I hope to travel, to roam across the country and explore far-flung reaches of the world. The discoveries found in another culture, whether it be within my country or outside its boundaries, humble me and have given me a new perspective on life.

I am very grateful to all who have followed along with us this past year. I wish you all much joy, love, laughter, and fantastic adventures in the upcoming year. Happy New Year!

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Holiday Wish and Beyond

December 19, 2017LuAnn

‘Tis the season when many speak of wishes for world peace – a lofty goal, and given the strife in the world, it quite often feels like a darn near impossible goal to contemplate. Instead of dreaming big (as in globally), my holiday wish for everyone as we peer into 2018 is that we can all take some time and reflect on ourselves, as that is where real transformation can begin, change that can birth a global outreach.

This holiday season I wish for inner peace for us all, the state of mind that speaks not of fear, anger, and enmity for those uniquely different from us (and aren’t we all unique in our own right), but of the calm countenance that allows for openness to other ideals and embracing diversity.

My wish for this holiday season is that we have innumerable moments brimming with joy and laughter found in the company of family and friends and moments of quiet contemplation, opening our hearts and minds to a new year of seeking to focus on what is truly important for us personally, what is needed most for our world, and letting the rest go.

Happy holidays!

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Travel is…

October 19, 2017November 24, 2017LuAnn

“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again- to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.” ~ Pico Iyer

We have returned home from our time on the road, where dreams of sinking into my comfy bed have once again become reality. The last couple of weeks have been a flurry of activity, setting up my kitchen once again, including getting some ferments bubbling on my countertop, coordinating annual doctor visits, re-establishing a weight-training regiment (thanks to having a gym in our little community), and largely just getting back into a “normal rhythm”.

Time and again my thoughts return back to our summer in Yellowstone National Park, and then move beyond. I find myself absorbed in what travel can do for us, beyond the stunning landscapes, to what it can do for our minds, our bodies, and our souls. Whether travel serves as a walk in nature, a drive to a mind-blowing landscape, or a long plane ride to an exotic destination, there is ample evidence supporting the health benefits of travel.

Here are my top 10 thoughts on what travel is for me.

1/ Travel is humbling.

“Traveling tends to magnify all human emotions.” — Peter Hoeg

As I look out over a vast canyon or windswept mountain or stare up at a night sky, I feel small, yet mighty. I feel more alive than any experience I could ever have sitting in front of a computer or television screen. Travel opens not only my eyes, but my heart.

2/ Travel is a way to create meaningful relationships.

We are forever grateful for those we have met during our RV travels, many we know will be lifelong friends, all who have been sprinkled with the same wanderlust as have we. And writing a travel blog has connected me with so many across this beautiful globe, many I will never meet, but who have ingrained themselves in my heart.

3/ Travel is challenging.

It forces us to endure long airport security lines, many hours of bus travel as we bump along a lonely highway, or painfully long airline flights to foreign lands. Jet lag can zap energy, cause headaches, make one feel disoriented. But if we take a deep breath, are gentle with ourselves, and move beyond these initial challenges, we see the wide world that is open to us. What frazzles our nerves can also expand our level of patience. It’s called character building baby!

4/ Travel is an avenue for discovering who we are and who we want to be.

This gentle artist in Rome, Italy indulged us with a photo. How could I resist one of his paintings?

I know that I am much more open-minded than I was before my nomadic ways began. Stepping beyond my country’s borders has given me a brand-new perspective on how I want to look at the world. Taking a break from my norm allows me time to reflect upon my personal journey through this life. Travel has restored my faith in humanity and broadened my world views as I have seen good reflected in the eyes of strangers. Travel encourages philanthropy as we discover new causes and ways to assist those suffering in this world.

5/ Travel is a means for detoxing from the negative effects of social media and news feeds.

The power of the internet seen in Cirque Terre, Italy.

Although we all seem to live in the world of social media to one extent or another, disconnecting, at least for a time, is healthy for both our bodies and our minds, and can be quite liberating. Our summer in Yellowstone forced us away from phones and computers and found us immersed in a world of like-minded people excited about learning more about the natural world. We met so many people we are now proud to call friends and reconnected with friends not seen for many years. We will be eternally grateful for our time at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch and hope to do it all again soon.

6/ Travel is educational.

Whether you are hiking across an open meadow, zip-lining through the forest canopies of Costa Rica, participating in a cooking class in some foreign land, or walking the streets of a city new to you, there is always something new to learn, something exciting to embrace. Travel is a magnificent teacher and hopefully, makes us more interesting.

7/ Travel is empowering and a confidence builder.

Travel forces us to step outside our comfort zone, as we navigate new territories, try a new activity that scares us to death, strive to learn a new language or embrace new customs. If we don’t shrink away from these challenges, we might discover a feeling of empowerment arising. And even if we learn only a few new words or phrases in another’s language, there is evidence to show that learning a foreign language strengthens our brains, not to mention the mental clarity that nature provides.

8/ Travel is a great story teller.

…and creates rich, lasting memories.

9/ Travel is a soul feeder.

Two ninas with a gift for me ~ Ajijic, Mexico

Need I say more?

10/ Travel is the ultimate happiness fairy!

Research shows that people who are anticipating an experience; e.g. a vacation, are much happier than those who are waiting for things, like that new iPhone.

Our lives have been forever enriched by our travels, friends met along the way, and the experiences encapsulated in our hearts. We are already planning our next adventure.

How has travel changed you?