Perspective: your's, mine, ours

Perspective. This word keeps surfacing in my world. Since my first blog post, I've received compliments and encouragement from many friends and family. I can't begin to describe how appreciative and humble I feel when I hear these kind words from you all. Simply, thank you.

A few days weeks almost a month ago we remembered and honored, for the 15th time in our world, the men and woman who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Every year this day fills my heart with many emotions (and I'm sure many others feel the same). We recall where we were when we heard the news. We recall the never before seen view of plans crashing into buildings. We recall friends or family we lost that day. But these thoughts and emotions are different for each one of us. I have my story, you have your story, and although these stories are about the same significant event in all of our lives, each of us brings our own perspective to it. We each see it from our lens. I am a firm believer that we are each a sum of all of our experiences. No two people can have the same experience and the same exact reaction to it–sure, similar reactions, but not the same. (I'm no scientist or sociologist here, so this is simple an observation!) All this to say perspective plays an increasingly interesting role in our world, one that I'm currently extremely fascinated with. One day I'll share my story with you all, not today.

I'm going to be honest with you all, as you can see my my crossed out time reference above, this blog post has taken me a while to get through. I keep coming back to it and leaving it. Yesterday I started to question why this was. Why can't I complete it? Why can't I articulate my thoughts, type them out and hit that little orange "publish" button? I'm realizing that this topic is constantly evolving in my mind. The idea of perspective is so important to me and ever-changing in my life that I think fear publishing it, like it creates a sense of finalization. So, I convinced myself to just get that all out and explain it and move on!  Because I have so much more "Wanderin'" to talk about!! Phew! I feel much better. . .

So, in the past couple of weeks I've been on numerous hikes in CA. I've discovered an app called All Trails which I HIGHLY recommend! (The link goes to the mobile app download, basically, click it on your phone!)  It shows you trails around you based on your location and you can even record your hike so the stats are all stored in it! (You can keep it private, don't worry! And if you need to know how to do this, let me know, and I can show you.)  Anyway, if you get the app let me know and we can "be friends!"

Here's my tree pose at <pause> OMG! Getting these photos off my phone I realized that is the reason perspective came into my mind in the first place!!! Okay, so here is my tree pose on a trail called Pa'san Ridge Trail (found on the All Trails app). We only did part of the trail because we had a tough time finding it. Anyway, my friend took these pics of me which initially I wasn't thrilled with the photos. Primarily because of the perspective/direction they were taken. So, my friend is taller than me, and she was standing higher than me (obviously because of the terrain), but I realized after I got home that it was all about perspective. She didn't take bad photos of me, it was just the perspective or the angle which the photo was taken (not my best angle--haha!) Okay, here are the photos. . . even my windy tree!

So, not my favorite photos ever, but not bad at all! I still wanted to post them to demonstrate perspective. Lots of things about perspective. It's not always what we envision. It's not always right. Sometimes it comes out better than we expect (like the windy tree. . . that is my favorite photo in this bunch!)

I've been doing quite a bit of wandering the last few months, so I'll keep going . . .

Fall camping is the best in my opinion. So, a few friends, and their families, planned a camping trip a few weeks ago. Its always fun camping with a big group, well, mostly its fun. But what really is the best, is camping with people who love camping. Who don't mind getting a little dirty. Who love cooking outside. Who love to go on adventures. Who also love sitting around the fire and doing nothing. We camped at a place called Wagner's Mammoth Pool Resort. Resort always makes me laugh. . .  they do have a store with lots of supplies just in case you forget anything, and there are pay-by-the-minute showers if you're into that sort of thing while camping. (I should say, I provided the link, but there isn't much there except very detailed directions on how to get there, but not much else on their website!) But pretty much there are pit toilets, lots of dirt and rocks, and each campsite comes equipped with a picnic table and a fire pit. (Oh, along the drive to get there you'll see the remnants of a recent forest fire that went through that area, its quite sad.) But the best part is the creek running by each campsite. Listening to the water when falling asleep, sitting in the creek with feet in the water, doing some yoga in the creek, even taking a bath in the creek (well, kinda) is seriously the best feeling in the world! Doing things like this connects me to the world we live in, makes me appreciate what we have (running water, homes with roofs over our heads, etc.) but also there is a sense of accomplishment and pride in our earth when I get to spend time sleeping, eating, and just being outdoors. Here's tree pose near one of the large pools that we wandered to!

Yes, I'm wearing a swimsuit, and yes, I went in the freezing cold water, and yes, I showered (washed my hair and all!) in that water! It was very refreshing–there were some crawdads chasing us, so I didn't stay in too long! There is also a photo where I am acting like an Herbal Essences model laying on a rock and washing my hair in the pool. There was lots of laughter, great times and good memories made. I may share the photo at some point in the future. . .  you'll just have to keep reading to see if it will surface! But here are some other photos I though you all might like (again that perspective thing!)

I thought I'd include a photo of our camp fire on our last morning (yep, we needed a fire in the morning!) This log was a bit larger than it is photographed here. My friend managed to pick it up and put it in the car on our drive up–I helped, kinda, not really. There were lots of spots to stop and pick up wood along the way, but when I spotted this one I knew we had to have it, it just looked perfectly dry and burnable! I'm bummed I didn't get a "before" photo!

FYI: My friend went back to the campsite 3 weeks later (it's the slow season) and the same log kept them warm on their first night!!

Although I didn't wander very far, I was privileged enough to see Mr. Garth Brooks in concert a few weeks ago in my current home town of Fresno, California (for those of you keeping track). Those who saw me the day after the concert were sick of me saying, "It was such a phenomenal show!" Here is what Garth had to say about it on KMPH FOX 26's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/KMPHFOX26/videos/10155380720799012/

 Here are some photos:

And her is a little video clip I took. . .  this one goes out to my cousin, Suzie. . .

Alright, so I'm finishing up this blog post on yet another trip. I'll be calling Baton Rouge, Louisiana my home for the next two weeks (did y'all see what I did there!?). If you happen to be in the area, let me know. If you come to the area let me know! I will be here for work, so don't expect me to be having all the fun, but some fun will be had inevitably! So stay tuned! (Promise it won't be that long between blog posts in the future! I put it out there, now I have to stay true to my word!)