Day 4,019

Growth:

Eleven years ago I started blogging to remind myself to be more thankful for all the ups and downs of life.  The goal was one year of daily blogging and it made such a positive impact on my life that I set the audacious goal of blogging every single day of my forties.

At done point the goal faded away, though the activity became a part of me, of who I am.  It is now do hardwired in me there is no goal, it has become a rewiring of my brain.  

At no point she I began did I see this becoming such cornerstone of my personal operating system, it was a short term goal to fix something.  Now it is just me.

Wild how little actions can have life changing impacts on our lives.  The most important part is setting the goal, the second is putting in the reps.  Today I’m grateful for a one year experiment I expected to realistically last a few months, that went for over a decade, and has now become a part of me!

Appreciation:

So many miles of hiking, so much outdoors time with Becky.  A perfect day to ease myself into my next decade.

Waking up after nine and a half hours of sleep without an alarm clock.  Enjoying a cup of coffee in campervan with Becky.  Happening to drive by an epic view of Sleeping Giant at golden hour with a little dawn fog on the lake.  A big cup of gas station coffee and a wonderfully scenic drive framed with autumn leaves, especially the fiery maples.  A view leading to a thought of “huh, I wonder if there’s a way to hike over there” that turns into the Presence section below.  Hunting for agates and rocks for hours on the shore.  Eating dinner in the campervan before 4:40, having a beer, and taking a quick nap.  FaceTime with the boys, relaxing and reading with Becky, and off to bed early (& being beaten there by an insanely worn out dog).

Great way to kick off a new half century!

Presence:

Getting off the beaten path, finding a trail hidden in plain sight about 10 miles off the highway.  Disappearing down a dirt road, parking at the dead end, and following what was quite possibly the most tattered trail sign ever.  A dirt trail overgrown with roots, rocks everywhere, and a couple of ropes to help up and down a sudden twenty foot tall mud and rock pile.  Rock hopping the end of the trail as you suddenly appear at the shore of Lake Superior, surrounded by giant basalt cliffs, forested islands, countless giant rock rock formations, and Isle Royale smiling at you from afar.

All alone. The only company being three mergansers in the lake, loons calling from far away, and two grouse caught in the act. 

A slice of heaven on Earth, a garden of Eden, tucked away to be discovered.

Thanks!!!