A Walk Around the Sun (welcoming my 46th year)

                                 

These are by far NOT my best photos but taking them brought me great joy. I love the woods, especially those with creeks that trickle through them. In our dry Northern California geography, green and water are not common in the hills. Brown grass and dry earth are more common in these parts. Yes, we are surrounded by the bay but this is a dry part of the world. So a hike in the woods up at Tilden Regional park was a treat.

I spent my birthday morning taking in the cooler air around the dirt paths that circled Lake Anza. The lush green foliage amoungst the shade covered trails reminded me how much a tropical girl I really am. It's confusing to me how the Bay Area is home for me and our family yet, I feel most at home in lush, thick rainforest, on islands surrounded by clear turquoise waters. I hope that my children will read their blog one day and either remember or learn about their mother and who she is and what stirs my soul. So while I could not be in Jamaica or Samoa or even Hawaii on my 46th birthday, a couple of hours away in the woods, near creeks and trees reminded me how much I love to be close to the earth. How the earth supports me in being still and quiet and able to listen to myself and to Creator.

I realized on my birth day anniversary that I need to up the ante with our family. Our family hikes have taken a back burner as of late. Being outside in nature, connecting with Self, earth and each other are something I want as part of our families foundation. And I want us to live healthy and balanced. These were some of the things that were arising in me as I walked up and down through the trees. Things that I am going to work on implementing with more consistency during my 46th year.