guidance

Cry Baby!

Let me start out by saying that I never write these posts.
At least not the everyday, regular me that you would meet at the supermarket.
I let “them” write the posts.
“they” are much more profound than I am, and what they write is well articulated in the first and only draft.
And I like the anonymity.

I don’t fancy myself a writer, never have.
I’m not one of those girls who’s written her feelings in a journal
or confessed to a diary every night.
Nope, just not me.

But during this 4500+ mile motorcycle journey I started experiencing something unusual …for me, and I thought it would be helpful to share it.

I’ve ridden many,many miles on the back of our BMW GS adventurer.
All over the world.
But for some reason on this trip I found myself crying…a lot!
And I’m NOT a crier. If you asked me the last time I cried before this,
I’d be hard pressed to remember.

These tears did not come elegantly, like that one perfect drop down the cheek.
Nope, my crying was loud, and sloppy, with big gasps for air, and long whaaaaaaaaaaa’s.
Just like a little girl.
You know how children are easy to cry?
I was easy to cry.
And no one was more surprise than me!

I cried from exhaustion,
I cried from aches and pains,
I cried when my helmet wouldn’t come off and I had to pee,
I cried when I was terrified,
I cried when I was blissful,
I cried when the weather was cruel,
I cried from the beauty of the Redwoods
Or the ocean,
Or coffee.
You think I’m kidding,
I’m not!

After a particularly scary incident on the plains of Montana, in the pouring rain, that scared me so much I “movie screamed ”
( like those screams from slasher movies, which I didn’t know I could do, and made me cough for hours afterword)
I cried hysterically,
big boo hoo hoo’s for 10 miles!
While my husband patted my leg and tried to get us past the storm.
10 miles!!! About 10 minutes straight!!
I’ve never done that!

My point in sharing this is this:
I became raw.
I was raw from riding so long,
I was raw from trusting someone else with my life…..my LIFE!
And it allowed me to let my guard down enough to cry,
Which for me is quite something.
After almost 17 days of crying,
I feel renewed somehow,
And I’m guessing I needed the release 😉
Xox

~Janet~

* Janet is currently on a 4500 mile motorcycle trip.

Early in a journey, you have wide open eyes
That survey the scenery and scan the horizon.

As that journey progresses, fatigue starts to set in,
And at times all you can think about is getting to your destination.
You fail to even look at the sights around you,
Focused instead straight ahead.

That is a handy analogy for life.

You all have your sites set on a particular goal,
A destination,
But as the fatigue of “life” starts to drag you down,
You loose out on all the beauty and wonder and miracles
that are right beside you.
And you overlook any signs along the way that are there 
to ease the tediousness.

When on this ride, Janet starts to get tired and zone out,
She misses the wildlife, the waterfalls, the spectacular
Clouds and rainbows that are all around her.

Then she gets to her destination and realizes…so what!
“I’m here!
And in conversation after some rest, realizes what she missed.

Don’t let that happen with the bigger palette of your life.
Don’t zone out and miss what is all around you.
Enjoy the journey as much as the destinations,
For once your are “there” 
You’ll wish you were on the road again!

This is a great time to examine your relationship to promises
Made in your life…to yourself.

“I promised myself I would never….” 
Eat after midnight,
Date a man under 6ft tall,
Swim in dark water,
Leave the house without lipstick,
Wear shorts,
Get into debt,
Live in a cold/ hot climate,
Laugh again in church 😉

You get the picture.

Do these promises you make to yourself still serve you?
Some of them date back to such a different time and energy,
Some even back to childhood!

Sometimes very ernest promises we make to ourselves,
Turn hard and rigid,
They are born out of fear,
Of humiliation, or regret.
And they can hold you back.
They become a bad habit,
And because you call the a promise,
You WILL NOT BREAK THEM.

Please reconsider.
It is a new time and more importantly,
A new energy!
Keep the promises that move your life in the direction you desire,
And break all the rest,
And have fun doing it!

Enough said…