A Walk in the Woods

It's Monday. I'm trying to get into the flow of the day, but I haven't yet. I got home last night from my weekend away in the woods with friends. My head is still there. It's still having the conversations and still loving being around them. It's still trying to listen intently to the stories they are sharing. It's still trying to wrap my head around the greatness of their lives and their experiences. They are both rich in travel, books, music and life experience. They are also still searching for meaning and for where to go next--like I am. We all grew up in the same small town. Now, we all are in the East--Boston, NewYork, Rochester. I see Jeremy a couple times a year now it seems, but I hadn't seen Jenny since 2005 or so. There didn't seem to be any time lost. It was comfortable and inviting. I didn't feel as if I had to be anything else that what I am. I expressed my wishes for a better me...but felt very loved as the me I am right now. I didn't have to hide my feelings on certain topics because they had similar feelings. I didn't have to worry about certain conversations surfacing because we were in a place of like minds. I didn't feel ill at their world view. I didn't feel confused by the way they saw other people. I didn't feel judged.

And I talked and talked--like I had a certain amount of words that needed to be said before I could go. There were people there that wanted to listen. They knew where I'd been and where I was. I didn't have to tell a back story or give a huge explanation like I was breaking in a new therapist.

These types of conversations are rare for me. I hope they aren't for them. I hope they have many friends that make them feel as loved as they made me feel. I hope you do, too.

We hiked in the mountains a bit and my legs are so sore. I am not as in shape as they are. She is training for a marathon for god's sake. It's embarrassing how out of shape I am.

So, after my weekend of not caring if the cabin was in shambles due to our wide variety of food and drink and music and magazines--I am ready to cleaning my own house. I didn't feel that urge for 2 days and it was BLISS. AND Jeremy did most of the cooking--another blissful thing. I was the sponge. I soaked up the conversation, the music--some I'd never heard, the food--a lot of food, the perspectives and stories I'd never heard before.

 I find it so refreshing that new revelations can happen with people you've known your entire life. We all change, we all create our lives each day--and when you check in with people later--what a relief it is to think, "Gosh, I've always loved you, but I love you even more now."