Month: February 2018

Sign of our times!!!

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pexels-photo-346885.jpegWow! …. what a time we live in. Turning on the television can be scary for fear of what we might see and hear on the news. The daily story is often repeated throughout the day with significant tragedy often involving mass shootings, acts of terror or natural disasters of late. My initial feelings are often over whelming and the pit of my stomach aches making it easier at times to not watch or even want to hear the news. If we want a of sign of our times; we have got it.  The loss of human lives through pointless and meaningless violence is pointing us in a direction we need to investigate to see how we can affect the future starting today. Instead of letting events occur without taking note, saying a prayer, or wishing for things to change we could use each event as a springboard for ourselves to be propelled into the future with more love, kindness and compassion for our fellow humans.

In retrospect where I have been, what I have experienced and how I have changed brings me to today, every day, still holding out hope and feeling love for all humans and the life I have been blessed enough to be given.  Every significant event in each of our lives helps to form who we are and what we believe to be important. They are “springboards” from where we can leap from into the future we want to see. It is an opportunity to depart from what isn’t working and embrace a new thought or action that could be beneficial to overall change for the better. At least that is how I have learned to cope in my life from my own trails and errors, events and circumstances that have occurred.

How we feel and how we act, are in fact, personnel choices:decisions. This is a fundamental idea that seems lost in the shuffle of more recent impulsive and immediate behavioral displays that the current world has produced as a bi-product. Our human essence is being ravaged by the modern world and “advancements” that have not been thought-out regarding the consequences that ultimately can remove us from our very sense of self. It is affecting our human condition that is being ignored. And we are moving away from the personnel sense of self and the responsibility of being human on this planet that sustains our lives. It is not hopeless, but it is very scary given our current social climate. The social fibers are unraveling, and fundamental needs are going unmet or unrecognized.

The good news is we can make a difference in how we think, what we feel, and how we act. Through love and kindness, we provide a window of hope for those who might not feel it or see it. Through compassion for one and other we spread a sense of connectedness that humans thrive on. We are responsible for ourselves, yet our current atmosphere doesn’t seem to nurture that self-knowledge. My hopes and prayers for our future, our children’s future and their children as well is that love and kindness prevail first and foremost in any initiated change for a better tomorrow.

I could go on and on stating what I think are the “best” solutions for our future but I won’t. I will hold tight to my ideas but pray that the melting pot that America has always been will cook up some ideas that can make our children’s future our greatest investment while providing a safe environment to learn. No one has died in vain if we use the recent events as a springboard. My hat is off to the young survivors who are speaking out and demanding change. May we as adults embrace their desires with respect and support joining them in creating a safer future for everyone. And continue to shine with love and hope.

-Katglobus-map-finger-earth-159857.jpeg

Wanderlust: A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel or wander

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297I have THAT! Do you? It has been a life-long condition for me. I’m not sure there is a cure (nor do I want one). I have immediate and affordable remedies that help the ailment on a day to day basis. My first aid to the never-ending desire is to ‘HIKE’: being outside in nature releases some of the irresistible feelings of that “gotta go” sensation for me. Exploring your neighborhood to the local trails can curb some of the desire. I’ve lived in Tucson for almost 30 years and I continue to find “new-to-me” trails that sound just as exciting as the regular ones I always hike. Just a little bit of time and research can bring you to different destinations that will allow the desire to explore to flourish.

That wanderlust feeling creeps into my head and heart often and usually I start to set my sights on far-away places. Of late I have been taking a deep breath and refocusing on closer areas in Tucson or Arizona to satisfy the impulse. There are a lot of exciting places to discover  within minutes or a couple hours distance in the state. I bet it is true for you as well if you just did a little research to see what exists near you. Social media has assisted my search for the exposure to locations around Tucson and Arizona. Facebook hiking groups from Tucson and all of Arizona consistently add new destinations of wonder that I hadn’t heard about that are added to my growing list of must -sees!

Some where in my mind as long as I have a plan to go investigate a new location the bubbling feelings of wanderlust calms down. The desire to learn something new, be exposed to a different area or find an incredible hidden gem all propel the wanderlust in me. If you too have such an infliction you might try my remedies. Investigate your immediate areas by foot or by bike. Tucson just added a new leg of the already existing bike trail.  It connected existing parts of the trail making for longer distances easier to travel. Does your town have a bike trail?

At my age I have come to accept the feelings that float inside me. I continue to try to appease myself with budget friendly solutions. Hiking and biking my own town and surrounding areas can be the answer. It takes less planning and has immediate gratification. The familiarity you ultimately end up with adds to the comfort you can feel calling your town your home. I love Tucson and the surrounding areas that continue to surprise me with such unique beauty. I’m thankful I live in a place where my wanderlust compulsion can be satisfied.IMG_1176[1]

Honestly, it doesn’t mean I don’t dream of far-away places……it just means that while I’m in town I don’t need to stay in one place. GO explore!

-Kat

I Hike…

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20180101_084255.jpgI Hike because I love Gods creative hand…have you really studied how he put together nature, the colors, the materials, the smells, the feel, the patterns of leaves, rocks, clouds…I love the wild beauty as it was intended to be without the “help” of man. I love the dirt and the filth of the whole thing…never do you feel so close to the earth. The back country always brings a sense of wonder for me. Sometimes I am so overwhelmed and humbled that it brings me to tears; nature takes my breath away. On more than a few occasions I question what heaven must be like if I am so moved by the beauty of earth.

I hike because It is almost impossible to worry when you are on the trail. The part of your brain that ruminates, frets, worries, obsesses gets derailed by the experience of nature, exercise, the one foot after the other distraction. I hiked 225 miles straight feeling quite sure I was going to solve all of life’s problems but I didn’t solve even one, because when I was on the trail, I had no problems.

I hike because it is an opportunity for all to enjoy. You don’t have to be young or wealthy to enjoy this sport.  Hiking is not like Skiing or Yachting or marathon running…You only need a good pair of shoes, and some water. Anyone can enjoy it not matter what your status in life is, and we all get to enjoy the same exact benefits which is a sense of freedom, peace, calm, overwhelming beauty. Everyone needs that in their lives.

I hike because you must depend on yourself. Although it sounds a little melodramatic, hiking can be dangerous in the back country. Part of the intrigue is really using your smarts to plan water, food, shelter, sunscreen, trails etc. Unfortunately, people die every year hiking and it can be especially dangerous as a desert hiker. Finding water on the trail is 100% non-existent so one must plan on how much and how they will pack in water.  You must always have a plan “B” for the unexpected. But that’s part of the fun and part of the realization that you are strong and capable.

I hike because my cell phone doesn’t work. This has been my biggest test. As a mother and wifey, we all know that feeling that we are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Our families will surely fall apart if they cant pick up the phone and call with an “urgent matter” followed by immediate answer or battle plan from “Mom, The Problem Solver”. But then I remember my own childhood and my own parents…there were no phones. I would be gone for hours at a time with no communication. Or when I went to camp, I wouldn’t talk to my parents for weeks at a time. And I survived. And I became stronger for it…my own problem solver.  When my parents traveled without me, I loved it because I couldn’t get a hold of them and I would rarely hear from them, and I loved how I could always figured things out.  I even managed to not stave to death.

I hike to take a break from work, my computer, and all my 21st century luxuries…its good to spend down time with nothing but yourself and nature. It refreshes your body and clears your mind. It gives me a buzz and I feel high as a kite for days after a good hike.

I hike to hang in my hammock. I bring a hammock when time permits and I either take an uninterrupted, guilt free nap, or lie and look up at the trees and blue sky or occasional cloud float by. Or I lie in my hammock and talk to my friends, who are also lying in their hammocks. Hammocks are a true luxury in the back country.  All’s you do is hang. And sway. And relax.

I hike to enjoy my like-minded friends and hiking community. I love my non-hiking friends of course, but the common thread of the outdoors means you will be with a  fun bunch of women who are on the Wild Side of 50 enjoying the second half…exploring, staying real, living in the moment, not trying to impress but rather conquering mountains and valleys, playing in streams and rivers, stopping to smell the roses and  being our own force of nature!

~Gwen