What a shame that society has always expected women to marry and have children. Certainly marriage and child bearing are wonderful and fulfilling occupations – for women who are cut out for it. But what about women who aren’t cut out for it? In the past, if they didn’t marry, they were considered spinsters (shudder!) and one felt sorry for them. It was assumed that they didn’t have what it takes to get a man—as if getting a man was all a woman had to live for. Actually, not too long ago in our history that really was about all a woman had to live for, as well as having children. Therefore, a woman who didn’t want to marry, or didn’t want children, really had no choice in the matter lest she be looked down upon.
Times certainly have changed since then. As the old Virginia Slim commercial used to say, “You’ve come a long way, Baby!” And so we have!
So here’s to the independent woman who. . .
Is secure in herself and doesn’t need a man, but if she wants one she’ll get one!
Has her own livelihood and doesn’t a need anyone to take care of her; though she may think having a sugar daddy is a pretty good idea, and may get one just for the fun of it!
Can lounge around in funky granny panties and a flannel gown all day, or dress up like a naughty vixen and strut her stuff!
Can date as many men as she wants, separately or all at one time!
Doesn’t have to put up with anyone snoring or farting in her bed!
Doesn’t have to shave her legs or underarms unless she chooses to!
Has no one telling her what she should or shouldn’t do!
Comes and goes as she pleases and doesn’t have to explain her actions to anyone!
Has no responsibilities other than to her lovely self!
She is free, free, free!
Not all women want this much freedom, but if the independent woman wants to reign in a little, she’ll do it. The thing is, she’ll do it because she chose to, not because someone told her to. And that is the point; an independent woman can live her life as she chooses, in freedom and without responsibilities to anyone else.
As Cole Porter wrote, “In olden days a glimpse of stocking was thought of as something shocking, but heaven knows, anything goes.”
And you go, single, independent Girl!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Listening to Silence
With the advent of modern forms of communication, increased traffic, and increased population, this world has become a very noisy place. To rest the brain from the bombardment of so much noise, and to find a place of inner piece within you, I suggest listening to silence. This can be done as a formal meditation, or during your everyday activities. All it takes is a moment of refocusing from the external world, to the silent world within.
The constant chattering, opinions, and thoughts that course through our minds every day, use a considerable quantity of energy. This can be noticed when the mind becomes silent.
To accomplish a quiet mind, simply listen. What are you listening to? Everything and nothing. You do not focus on any particular sound; you simply listen. Become very still. Cease all physical and mental activity, and in an instant stop and listen. What do you notice? You may be aware that each sound has richness to it, which you had not discerned before. Rather than the usual blur of background noise, you might distinctly hear the hum of the refrigerator, separate from the sound of a passing car or, or from the sound of an airplane flying overhead. Each sound may become more distinct, making you acutely aware of life around you.
More than just being conscious of the external world and its sounds, do the exercise again and notice how you feel this time. Does a sense of calm come over you? Calm, peace, and silence go hand-in-hand. As you listen, where are your thoughts? You have none. Where are your anxieties and concerns? Gone.
Again, stop, and with focused intent, listen. Are you aware of a silence behind the sounds? Are you aware of a silence behind the silence? The more you practice, the deeper the silence becomes. At some point you may notice that silence exists everywhere, and sound and thought emanate from it. Silence is the background of all that is.
To enter silence is a goal of many meditations, but there is no need for an organized meditative practice just to stop, anytime of the day and wherever you are, and listen. It can be accomplished easily with a little focused intention.
Listening to silence is calming and peaceful to the mind and body, and is rejuvenating to the nervous system. It can be practiced any time and anywhere, and is a tonic for these noisy times in which we live.
The constant chattering, opinions, and thoughts that course through our minds every day, use a considerable quantity of energy. This can be noticed when the mind becomes silent.
To accomplish a quiet mind, simply listen. What are you listening to? Everything and nothing. You do not focus on any particular sound; you simply listen. Become very still. Cease all physical and mental activity, and in an instant stop and listen. What do you notice? You may be aware that each sound has richness to it, which you had not discerned before. Rather than the usual blur of background noise, you might distinctly hear the hum of the refrigerator, separate from the sound of a passing car or, or from the sound of an airplane flying overhead. Each sound may become more distinct, making you acutely aware of life around you.
More than just being conscious of the external world and its sounds, do the exercise again and notice how you feel this time. Does a sense of calm come over you? Calm, peace, and silence go hand-in-hand. As you listen, where are your thoughts? You have none. Where are your anxieties and concerns? Gone.
Again, stop, and with focused intent, listen. Are you aware of a silence behind the sounds? Are you aware of a silence behind the silence? The more you practice, the deeper the silence becomes. At some point you may notice that silence exists everywhere, and sound and thought emanate from it. Silence is the background of all that is.
To enter silence is a goal of many meditations, but there is no need for an organized meditative practice just to stop, anytime of the day and wherever you are, and listen. It can be accomplished easily with a little focused intention.
Listening to silence is calming and peaceful to the mind and body, and is rejuvenating to the nervous system. It can be practiced any time and anywhere, and is a tonic for these noisy times in which we live.
Understanding Living in the Now
Have you ever considered that it is always Now? It may seem obvious, but certainly people do not tend to live from that understanding. Most individuals think and live in terms of linear time – past, present, future. But if it is always Now, what is the past and future?
Consider right at this moment, is it Now? Yes.
Now this moment, is it also Now? Yes.
What about the last moment just past, where is it? It is gone. Does it exist if it’s gone, and if so, where? It exists only as a memory, which is nothing more than a thought; but when you remember the past moment, when do you remember it? Now.
It is always Now.
What about the future; what is it? It isn’t. It is nothing more than a thought; and when are you having that thought? Now.
Let’s say that at this moment (this Now) you have the thought that in 2 minutes you will get a glass of water. What you are doing is projecting a concept about the future, and you are projecting it Now. No future action actually exists; it is only a thought about a glass of water, occurring in the Now.
In 2 minutes you get a glass of water, fulfilling your projected thought, and you may rationalize that you have just created your future by doing so. When you got your glass of water, it was Now. It wasn’t some time in the future, but rather it was Now. When you felt satisfied that you had created a future event, you felt satisfied in that present moment – the Now. When you remember that you filled a glass of water, you remembered it in that moment – that Now.
Nothing exists outside of Now; outside of the present moment. In truth, Now isn’t even a present moment, because a moment implies a measurable period of time, and Now cannot be measured. It has no beginning and no end; it just is – Now.
There is a flow of life for all existence, and it is the Now. Without worrying about the past or future, without any thought about what we should do (future) or shouldn’t have done (past), the course of our lives continues. This is a flow that we can depend on; and it is a flow that is not dependent on our thoughts.
Considering that only Now exists, and if past and future are only thoughts but not realities, what is the point of worrying about them? You may think that in the future you will do this, or that thing will happen. Maybe it will and maybe it won’t. You don’t know because the future doesn’t and can’t exist. Everything you project into it is nothing more than projected thought, and has no reality. It is true that one can influence thought and attempt to create a circumstance to occur, but it will still occur in the Now, if it occurs at all.
The same applies for the past. If someone hurt you yesterday, and yesterday doesn’t exist other than a memory, is it real? Your thinking about it Now is real, but does the event still exist? No, only in your thoughts; and your thoughts can be changed Now simply by realizing that the past and future are not realities.
Truly realizing that Now is all there is, allows a person to live in the present without concerns about the future or past. There is a flow of life, which is Now, in which all existence occurs. You may rest in that flow and be at peace.
Consider right at this moment, is it Now? Yes.
Now this moment, is it also Now? Yes.
What about the last moment just past, where is it? It is gone. Does it exist if it’s gone, and if so, where? It exists only as a memory, which is nothing more than a thought; but when you remember the past moment, when do you remember it? Now.
It is always Now.
What about the future; what is it? It isn’t. It is nothing more than a thought; and when are you having that thought? Now.
Let’s say that at this moment (this Now) you have the thought that in 2 minutes you will get a glass of water. What you are doing is projecting a concept about the future, and you are projecting it Now. No future action actually exists; it is only a thought about a glass of water, occurring in the Now.
In 2 minutes you get a glass of water, fulfilling your projected thought, and you may rationalize that you have just created your future by doing so. When you got your glass of water, it was Now. It wasn’t some time in the future, but rather it was Now. When you felt satisfied that you had created a future event, you felt satisfied in that present moment – the Now. When you remember that you filled a glass of water, you remembered it in that moment – that Now.
Nothing exists outside of Now; outside of the present moment. In truth, Now isn’t even a present moment, because a moment implies a measurable period of time, and Now cannot be measured. It has no beginning and no end; it just is – Now.
There is a flow of life for all existence, and it is the Now. Without worrying about the past or future, without any thought about what we should do (future) or shouldn’t have done (past), the course of our lives continues. This is a flow that we can depend on; and it is a flow that is not dependent on our thoughts.
Considering that only Now exists, and if past and future are only thoughts but not realities, what is the point of worrying about them? You may think that in the future you will do this, or that thing will happen. Maybe it will and maybe it won’t. You don’t know because the future doesn’t and can’t exist. Everything you project into it is nothing more than projected thought, and has no reality. It is true that one can influence thought and attempt to create a circumstance to occur, but it will still occur in the Now, if it occurs at all.
The same applies for the past. If someone hurt you yesterday, and yesterday doesn’t exist other than a memory, is it real? Your thinking about it Now is real, but does the event still exist? No, only in your thoughts; and your thoughts can be changed Now simply by realizing that the past and future are not realities.
Truly realizing that Now is all there is, allows a person to live in the present without concerns about the future or past. There is a flow of life, which is Now, in which all existence occurs. You may rest in that flow and be at peace.
Escaping the Noise of Everyday Life
One thing I love about being in the country, is the silence. We live in a world of so much noise that people no longer remember what true silence is. In fact, many of our younger generation have never even experienced silence. Why is that? Let us look at the circumstances in which we currently live, for that answer.
In today’s world we are constantly bombarded by the sound of voices. In most homes it has become normal for the TV or the radio to be continually on; or to be talking on the land-line or cell phone. When not doing those things, people are on the computer listening to music, or watching a video, or playing games. And of course there is all the communication that goes on at work or at school. Is all this noise necessary?
Even at home with the TV off, the computer hums if it is on; the refrigerator hums; you can hear traffic outside, or someone’s dog barking, or people talking. The heater runs, or the air-conditioner runs. There is always noise.
When trying to go to sleep at night, often the mind takes over and makes more noise. It talks and talks, keeping one awake.
This constant clatter produces stress on the body and the mind. Unfortunately many people do not notice the effect on their bodies because they haven’t experienced anything else. Frayed nerves may feel normal to them – until they get away from it all. A trip to the country, or someplace quiet, can produce an immediate relaxing response.
On the other hand, some people are so used to noise, that emotionally they become very uncomfortable in quiet. They become bored, or the mind plaques them all the more, telling them that this quiet is unnatural to what they are used to, and that they need to phone someone or turn on the TV. If such is the case, I suggest one simply be aware of that reaction, and remain in the quiet a while longer, weaning oneself away from the noise and allowing peace to emerge.
Overall, we live in a noisy, hectic, nerve-wracking world, which constantly produces stress on the physical system. Turning off the noise whenever possible, or taking trips to the quiet country, can be a method of bringing the body into a state of calm and peace.
In today’s world we are constantly bombarded by the sound of voices. In most homes it has become normal for the TV or the radio to be continually on; or to be talking on the land-line or cell phone. When not doing those things, people are on the computer listening to music, or watching a video, or playing games. And of course there is all the communication that goes on at work or at school. Is all this noise necessary?
Even at home with the TV off, the computer hums if it is on; the refrigerator hums; you can hear traffic outside, or someone’s dog barking, or people talking. The heater runs, or the air-conditioner runs. There is always noise.
When trying to go to sleep at night, often the mind takes over and makes more noise. It talks and talks, keeping one awake.
This constant clatter produces stress on the body and the mind. Unfortunately many people do not notice the effect on their bodies because they haven’t experienced anything else. Frayed nerves may feel normal to them – until they get away from it all. A trip to the country, or someplace quiet, can produce an immediate relaxing response.
On the other hand, some people are so used to noise, that emotionally they become very uncomfortable in quiet. They become bored, or the mind plaques them all the more, telling them that this quiet is unnatural to what they are used to, and that they need to phone someone or turn on the TV. If such is the case, I suggest one simply be aware of that reaction, and remain in the quiet a while longer, weaning oneself away from the noise and allowing peace to emerge.
Overall, we live in a noisy, hectic, nerve-wracking world, which constantly produces stress on the physical system. Turning off the noise whenever possible, or taking trips to the quiet country, can be a method of bringing the body into a state of calm and peace.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Becoming Aware of Body Language
Everyone expresses body language, yet many people feel it is too complicated to accurately understand or interpret. Body language can, however, be easily deciphered with a little practice and observation. Here are some very basic, everyday occurrences of body language that we all see but may not have taken the time to truly notice. Perhaps you will discover that reading body language is easy to understand and actually fun!
Facial expressions are surely the most familiar, though some may think expressions are not true body language. I disagree as the face is definitely part of the body, and certainly it speaks its own language.
Consider the smile, which can have many different meanings. Even though the lips are turned up, the addition of eye expressions and various wrinkling of the face can give the smile a realm of different interpretations. A smile can indicate pleasure, sarcasm, friendliness, or even insecurity (as in a nervous smile).
Tears, or crying, also have more than one meaning. It can indicate sadness, bittersweet joy, pain, or it can be the result of jubilant laughter.
Surely we are all aware of these variations in meaning of tears and smiles, so let’s take that understanding just a little bit further.
Let’s look at the body gestures. When speaking with someone, notice if the person leans forward towards you, or have you even found yourself leaning forward towards someone as you make a point in conversation? On the other hand, just the opposite may occur when you or someone leans away. Leaning forward brings one closer; it gives the impression of wanting nearness and there is a bit of intensity or intimacy to it. If the hand gestures are also open and the arms use an open gesture, all the more this signifies a person who is open and willing to accept or give.
Leaning back, away from the other person, is a sign of rejection. This could be a rejection of what is being said or a rejection of being in the presence of that person. In either case, it shows a closed attitude. Crossed arms, stepping back, looking away, all indicate a lack of positive response to the recipient. Think of someone you don’t care to be with, yet you find yourself in their presence occasionally. Notice how your body stands, how you gesture and where your eyes go. Do you tend to look at them or not?
Confident people also often have a definite body language in the way they present themselves. They often stand tall and look straight at whomever they are speaking to. Insecurity presents differently, such as looking down or the eyes looking around while speaking. There is often a sub-conscious desire to be smaller when a person is insecure, therefore the person may slump or round the shoulders.
These are just some very simple examples of body language. The expressions of the face and the posture of the body are seen daily in communicating with people. Noticing and interpreting these things can be fun, and hopefully I’ve sparked a little curiosity so that you can begin noticing your own body language in various situations.
Facial expressions are surely the most familiar, though some may think expressions are not true body language. I disagree as the face is definitely part of the body, and certainly it speaks its own language.
Consider the smile, which can have many different meanings. Even though the lips are turned up, the addition of eye expressions and various wrinkling of the face can give the smile a realm of different interpretations. A smile can indicate pleasure, sarcasm, friendliness, or even insecurity (as in a nervous smile).
Tears, or crying, also have more than one meaning. It can indicate sadness, bittersweet joy, pain, or it can be the result of jubilant laughter.
Surely we are all aware of these variations in meaning of tears and smiles, so let’s take that understanding just a little bit further.
Let’s look at the body gestures. When speaking with someone, notice if the person leans forward towards you, or have you even found yourself leaning forward towards someone as you make a point in conversation? On the other hand, just the opposite may occur when you or someone leans away. Leaning forward brings one closer; it gives the impression of wanting nearness and there is a bit of intensity or intimacy to it. If the hand gestures are also open and the arms use an open gesture, all the more this signifies a person who is open and willing to accept or give.
Leaning back, away from the other person, is a sign of rejection. This could be a rejection of what is being said or a rejection of being in the presence of that person. In either case, it shows a closed attitude. Crossed arms, stepping back, looking away, all indicate a lack of positive response to the recipient. Think of someone you don’t care to be with, yet you find yourself in their presence occasionally. Notice how your body stands, how you gesture and where your eyes go. Do you tend to look at them or not?
Confident people also often have a definite body language in the way they present themselves. They often stand tall and look straight at whomever they are speaking to. Insecurity presents differently, such as looking down or the eyes looking around while speaking. There is often a sub-conscious desire to be smaller when a person is insecure, therefore the person may slump or round the shoulders.
These are just some very simple examples of body language. The expressions of the face and the posture of the body are seen daily in communicating with people. Noticing and interpreting these things can be fun, and hopefully I’ve sparked a little curiosity so that you can begin noticing your own body language in various situations.
A Time for Every Season
I love the changing seasons! Every winter, spring, summer, and fall, is filled with its own beauty, but it also has its own rhythm and timing. As the Bible says, “For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.” [Ecclesiastes 3:1] This is surely realized with the seasons with its yearly ebb and flow. Note how the natural pattern of nature also affects humans, if we would only allow ourselves to perceive it.
Here in the Inland Northwest spring comes with a flurry of returning birds that have been absent during the winter. I see the towhees,robins, and bluebirds the beginning of March. In the third week of April the hummingbirds return.
Also in the third week of April I drive by the lake and look up at the osprey platform nest. Do I see one or two osprey; has one mate died and not returned? I see two! For a brief moment I feel a thrill that all is right with the world, because once again the mated osprey pair have returned to their yearly nest.
The remnant of winter snow dissolves into the earth and the ground becomes visible. Little yellow wild flowers spring up in the fields opening their pretty petals to the heavens. By May 15 the soil is warm enough to plant a garden. The farmer’s fields are planted with wheat, mustard and hay, and the land is filled with vivid shades of green.
Everything comes alive in spring. We humans come out of our winter doldrums and smell the fresh spring air. We plant, we feel renewed, and we become active. Figuratively, we come out of ourselves and face the world; like bears and cubs emerging from their den after a long winter hibernation.
It continues to warm, and before long we are in summer. The fields begin to brown, and most of the wildflowers die. The temperature gets as high as the 90s, but is usually in the 80s. Herds of whitetail deer turn from their drab brown to a beautiful orange/red; they will remain this color throughout the summer. The garden is producing. Dry winds come and so do the grasshoppers, eating down whatever remains in the fields. The grasshoppers are abundant food for many of the birds.
Summer is a time of full expression; a time for living and doing. There is a stability about summer that encourages us to get things done.
Near the end of summer the hummingbirds have left, as have the osprey and their offspring. Many of the birds who only visit a short few summer months are also gone. In the sky flocks of Canadian geese and ducks are seen flying in their distinctive “V”. They are also leaving us, heading south.
Here in the Inland Northwest spring comes with a flurry of returning birds that have been absent during the winter. I see the towhees,robins, and bluebirds the beginning of March. In the third week of April the hummingbirds return.
Also in the third week of April I drive by the lake and look up at the osprey platform nest. Do I see one or two osprey; has one mate died and not returned? I see two! For a brief moment I feel a thrill that all is right with the world, because once again the mated osprey pair have returned to their yearly nest.
The remnant of winter snow dissolves into the earth and the ground becomes visible. Little yellow wild flowers spring up in the fields opening their pretty petals to the heavens. By May 15 the soil is warm enough to plant a garden. The farmer’s fields are planted with wheat, mustard and hay, and the land is filled with vivid shades of green.
Everything comes alive in spring. We humans come out of our winter doldrums and smell the fresh spring air. We plant, we feel renewed, and we become active. Figuratively, we come out of ourselves and face the world; like bears and cubs emerging from their den after a long winter hibernation.
It continues to warm, and before long we are in summer. The fields begin to brown, and most of the wildflowers die. The temperature gets as high as the 90s, but is usually in the 80s. Herds of whitetail deer turn from their drab brown to a beautiful orange/red; they will remain this color throughout the summer. The garden is producing. Dry winds come and so do the grasshoppers, eating down whatever remains in the fields. The grasshoppers are abundant food for many of the birds.
Summer is a time of full expression; a time for living and doing. There is a stability about summer that encourages us to get things done.
Near the end of summer the hummingbirds have left, as have the osprey and their offspring. Many of the birds who only visit a short few summer months are also gone. In the sky flocks of Canadian geese and ducks are seen flying in their distinctive “V”. They are also leaving us, heading south.
Taking a Road Trip to Soothe the Soul
How often do we long to get away from it all, go on vacation, and return only needing a rest from the very vacation we hoped would rejuvenate us? Definitely vacations can be fun and exciting, but also hectic and nerve-racking; yet there is one form of get-away that can be the most rejuvenating of all. Though rarely undertaken, it is the lone road trip. For those who have no fear traveling alone and who enjoy their own company, this is the very thing to refresh a weary body and a worrisome mind. If you’ve never done one, perhaps this information will encourage you to do so.
A trip of 3-6 days usually works well, depending on how much time you have, and how much money you want to spend. Pick an area of the country you would like to see, a state you’ve never been to, or a national park you’ve always wanted to visit. Plan your route and get a tour guide book from AAA, or on the internet research places you might like to see along the way. Decide the route you want to take and approximately how many hours a day you want to drive to determine roughly how long it will take you to get to your destination, if you even have a destination. One joy of taking a solitary road trip is that you don’t necessarily have to get anywhere. In fact, you can just drive and end up wherever your car takes you. After all, you have no one to appease. You can do exactly what you like, when you like.
A road trip is about getting away from schedules, responsibilities, and must-do’s. In fact, there is absolutely nothing you “must” do, except feed yourself and fill the car with gas occasionally. There is no taking care of the kids. No feeding the dog. No phone calls or business that needs to be seen to (that is, if you keep you cell phone turned off and only use it if you feel you must) and absolutely no one to answer to. It is the ultimate freedom!
As you plan your trip, use the freeways or highways when needed but also take the scenic routes as much as possible. Plan to drive through the local towns and stop at the mom and pop local eateries to experience what life is like outside of your personal world.
The morning of your departure, throw your suitcase in the trunk, put some munchies and your favorite CD’s in the front with you, and hit the road!
Once you leave your responsibilities behind and it’s just you, your car, and the open highway, notice how the landscape expands before you. How vast and beautiful is the country when you are aware of it with a quiet mind, unburdened by concerns left behind!
Don’t rush yourself because there is nothing you must see and nowhere you must be. The road is yours to take in – the trees, the plains, the desert, the mountains, the ocean. Truly be aware of nature around you. Breathe it in. Sense how quiet it is in the absence of traffic and human noise.
Stop here. Stop there. Eat when you want to. Drive into a town you don’t know and consider staying at the local motel rather than looking for a well known hotel chain. If you like to rough it a little more, you could find a camp ground, or rent a cabin for the night. Do whatever frees you from your usual routine but that still allows you to be comfortable.
If you go to a national park consider doing something you might not ordinarily do if someone was with you. You might go on a horse back riding trip at Yellowstone or rafting at the Grand Canyon. Get out of your car in Death Valley and stand on the hot desert ground, marveling how ancient people traversed that valley so many, many years ago.
A lone road trip can be the ultimate relaxing vacation, soothing to the soul and the mind. With total freedom to do as you choose, leaving all responsibilities behind, you can experience parts of the country you’ve never seen before and you can bask in the grandeur and silence of nature, far from the hectic crowds.
If you have never done so, perhaps you will now consider a solitary road trip for your next get-away.
A trip of 3-6 days usually works well, depending on how much time you have, and how much money you want to spend. Pick an area of the country you would like to see, a state you’ve never been to, or a national park you’ve always wanted to visit. Plan your route and get a tour guide book from AAA, or on the internet research places you might like to see along the way. Decide the route you want to take and approximately how many hours a day you want to drive to determine roughly how long it will take you to get to your destination, if you even have a destination. One joy of taking a solitary road trip is that you don’t necessarily have to get anywhere. In fact, you can just drive and end up wherever your car takes you. After all, you have no one to appease. You can do exactly what you like, when you like.
A road trip is about getting away from schedules, responsibilities, and must-do’s. In fact, there is absolutely nothing you “must” do, except feed yourself and fill the car with gas occasionally. There is no taking care of the kids. No feeding the dog. No phone calls or business that needs to be seen to (that is, if you keep you cell phone turned off and only use it if you feel you must) and absolutely no one to answer to. It is the ultimate freedom!
As you plan your trip, use the freeways or highways when needed but also take the scenic routes as much as possible. Plan to drive through the local towns and stop at the mom and pop local eateries to experience what life is like outside of your personal world.
The morning of your departure, throw your suitcase in the trunk, put some munchies and your favorite CD’s in the front with you, and hit the road!
Once you leave your responsibilities behind and it’s just you, your car, and the open highway, notice how the landscape expands before you. How vast and beautiful is the country when you are aware of it with a quiet mind, unburdened by concerns left behind!
Don’t rush yourself because there is nothing you must see and nowhere you must be. The road is yours to take in – the trees, the plains, the desert, the mountains, the ocean. Truly be aware of nature around you. Breathe it in. Sense how quiet it is in the absence of traffic and human noise.
Stop here. Stop there. Eat when you want to. Drive into a town you don’t know and consider staying at the local motel rather than looking for a well known hotel chain. If you like to rough it a little more, you could find a camp ground, or rent a cabin for the night. Do whatever frees you from your usual routine but that still allows you to be comfortable.
If you go to a national park consider doing something you might not ordinarily do if someone was with you. You might go on a horse back riding trip at Yellowstone or rafting at the Grand Canyon. Get out of your car in Death Valley and stand on the hot desert ground, marveling how ancient people traversed that valley so many, many years ago.
A lone road trip can be the ultimate relaxing vacation, soothing to the soul and the mind. With total freedom to do as you choose, leaving all responsibilities behind, you can experience parts of the country you’ve never seen before and you can bask in the grandeur and silence of nature, far from the hectic crowds.
If you have never done so, perhaps you will now consider a solitary road trip for your next get-away.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)