Day 3,548

Growth:

Once we have the bare minimum we need for survival, always bet on experiences over stuff, every time, no question. The number of times we spoke of shared and individual experiences over the past week has dwarfed the seemingly zero conversation about stuff we have bought. Experiences create joy, stuff creates a fear of loss and an ongoing sense of needing more.

Appreciation:

While hiking today the boys started making plans for their own Colorado adventure for next summer with a couple of their friends. Approximately 3 of the 4+ miles were spent conspiring on the duration, specific mountains, costs of campsites, and so on.

For sure, a part of me longs to join them on the adventure, but I know that they need to take on experiences like this without the old man tagging along. While I’ll miss going with them my heart is so much more full of joy for the memories they will create together and for the fact that they see this as something they want to do. I’m over the moon happy for them and feel like part of our parenting has helped lead them in this direction.

So thankful for all the experiences and adventures they will have together!

Presence:

Nothing like taking a short and relatively unknown hike, turning a corner, and suddenly staring at a 500’ tall dam! The hike we took also included an awesome mixing point of two rivers, one dirty from the turbidity and the other pristinely blue. A pretty sweet surprise hike!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,547

Growth:

In vacation we don’t always have to go a thousand miles per hour, sometimes chilling is exactly what the doctor ordered.  Today we all thoroughly enjoyed pausing everything for an hour and a half while some of us napped and others read.  We then had another moment of stillness after dinner when we were all sitting by the campfire reading.

Appreciation:

This was one of the all time most Kreiling vacation days.  Woke up, knocked out a scenic hike, found another hike and did that one too.  We then had lunch, chilled and napped for 90 minutes, and then hit every possible overlook.  Back to the campsite for supper, chilled for an hour, drove out for the sunset early, played games in the van, took in an epic sunset, and then more games in the van until the stars came out.  After taking our fill of the stars we called it a day.

Busy, but plenty of downtime, full of adventure and time together.  Perfect!

Presence:

Staring up at the infinite blanket of stars and blackness, realizing just how tiny I am in the big picture of life.  Sharing that moment with Becky and the boys as we all lay silently upon the rock structures on the two thousand feet tall cliffs and soak in the vastness and beauty of the night sky.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,546

Growth:

“By a moment to moment contact to reality, that’s where you find god, that’s where you find happiness.” de Mello

Appreciation:

Experiencing a moment of awe is profoundly joyful.  Experiencing a moment of awe with loved ones is exponentially more joyful.  This happened as we saw the million dollar view on 550 outside of Ouray and again as we took in the sheer vastness and depth of the black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Presence:

A little star watching as a family was s perfect way to wrap up the day!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,545

Growth:

Remember what is important to you, do not be distracted in your pursuit of it. Keep your mind open and flexible yet remain focused and determined in pursuing purpose. Little nudges from above will always seem to guide you.

Appreciation:

National Park #37 for Becky and I was significantly cooler than I was anticipating. Around almost every corner was a stunning vista or several almost invisible cities carved out of stone almost one thousand years ago. The combination of natural beauty and intriguing architecture and culture of a people from so long ago was much more impressive than I ever would have imagined. It may not be the biggest or most popular, but Mesa Verde was an excellent experience!

Presence:

Walking into this ancient city…. Awesome!!!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,544

Growth:

I have a very difficult time letting go of control at times (or my perceived level of control). Driving is one of those things I struggle with, I have a difficult time relaxing and letting go when someone else is driving. Having the boys pop in to take their turns has been a very helpful practice for me on this trip.

Appreciation:

More time with family, more opportunity to share what we all live. More conversation of life, more shared experiences in nature created. More laughs, more chill. More family time.

Presence:

Being inside the dwelling of a people from almost 1,000 years ago was surreal. Realizing we were just viewing a monument, we were visiting the home of someone so long before our time was difficult to fully comprehend.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,543

Growth:

Remember your purpose, live your purpose, joy will follow.

Appreciation:

I cannot begin to stress how much I’m enjoying camper life. Disconnecting, discovering, minimizing. More time outdoors, less stress due to relaxed timeliness. Less consumption due to less temptation. More of what I enjoy, less of what I don’t. How do I turn this into everyday life?

Presence:

A day full of presence, from a cup of coffee in the campervan to now typing this blog in almost the same spot. We had an amazing time as a family, enjoying the hiking, nature, sand sledding, and games. Funny how much more present I am in each of these moments!

Thanks!!!

Day 3,542

Growth:

Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.

Epictetus

The more we value things outside our control, the less control we have.

Epictetus

You become what you give your attention to.

Epictetus

Appreciation:

Time away together, shared time as a family. This vacation has already exceeded my expectations!

Presence:

Sitting around the campfire talking. Standing in awe together in a narrow river pass looking up at a hidden waterfall as a family. Eating supper as a family and bolting outside together to take in an epic rainbow. Moment after moment of shared experience together, my favorite moments in life.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,541

Growth:

After getting some distance on the open road I tagged out and we swapped seats. I proceeded to spend the next few hours knocking out a bunch of work I wanted to wrap up Medford shutting my work brain down for a while. Long story short, I traded a few hours of car ride time for a week of vacation and mental chill. Not a bad deal!

Appreciation:

Certain songs just hit a little closer to home when you’re on the road, this was one of them.

Starting Over – Stapleton

Presence:

All four of us loading up into the campervan, heading out, laughing and talking as always, as if Dominic hasn’t been gone for a couple of years, as if it were any of our past family trips. All of us, together, complete. A moment of pure joy lasting all day and likely all week.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,540

Growth:

Ask one question past the initial sense of discomfort, it is amazing to see what is hiding in that shadow hoping to be found. Today I trusted my gut, dug just a little deeper, and found something very much unexpected yet very much appreciated!

Appreciation:

The nervous anticipation of getting everything wrapped up before heading out on vacation is electric! It’s also interesting to see how much easier it can be to prioritize and delegate during that time. Everything seems a little more clear, a little easier to work through. Perspective seems to get to the right level, probably where it should be all the time.

One more solid push tomorrow while we’re driving and I should be all set to transition into vacation mode, likely before we get midway through Nebraska.

Presence:

Hmm… seems like I’m all about the smells here as of late! The aroma of the light rain, the blooming plants, the fresh soil, and all the other scents were outstanding on our run this morning.

Thanks!!!

Day 3,539

Sometimes we need those high intensity, supercharged, and borderline ridiculous moments to help us attain clarity and awareness. Being hit between the eyes with successive shots today was quite enlightening.

After the first moment I took time to make a voice note to myself to walk through where my head was at and all that I’d learned in such a short period of time. In that process I laid out another potential challenge that also fit within this scope. Little did I know that forecast was much more clear than I’d imagined. In less than two hours I was facing that challenge head on as well.

Either challenge individually would have been enough, but hitting both on the same day really caught my attention and help me make the decision on both issues very clearly and decisively.

Today I’m grateful for the one two punch that awakens us to the fight.

Thanks!!!