oh, the places you’ll go

I just got back from a long weekend visiting with my daughter and son in law in Seattle.  I’m a bit time lagged today from jumping time zones and dealing with Daylight Savings all at the same time.  But maybe the fuzziness in my head helps to maintain the “vacation feeling” a little bit longer.

Laura and I went to hear Michael Pollan, on Thursday evening.  I’m not sure how many of you know who he is, but suffice it to say that he has had a huge influence on my daughter and the life style they are living. It was delightful to listen to him share personal stories as he talked about food and how our choices affect not only us but everything around us.  That’s another whole conversation we could get into sometime.  But as he talked about choices, he spoke to educating others to help them make diligent, informed choices about the food they eat, the farmers they support, the lifestyles they choose.  And he talked about leading with pleasure, sharing our experiences with joy, no guilt or pressure, no lectures required.  It hit home with me.

We went to Orcas Island in the San Juans for the weekend.  I followed my daughter’s lead, as she once followed mine, as we stepped outdoors into that magical place.  There’s a special bounce in your step as you hike up the mountain, enjoying all the wonderful vistas on the way up. The forest was thick, the path easy enough for the old dog Sam, and surprises greeted us around every corner. I kept seeing her as a young girl, skipping up the path ahead of me, stopping to inspect a leaf or small moving creature, telling me to come and see.  We’ve walked together all over the world and I hold close the memories of all the places we’ve gone where I simply tagged along.  Her invitations to come and play echoing my own from years ago.

So go outside today with pleasure and joy and invite a friend to come along.