Lake House

It is one of those perfect August days—sunny and warm with a light layer of clouds to keep the heat from being too hot on the skin.  I woke up late; and currently, I am at my house on the southern point of Forest Bay.  I am sitting on a deck with Lake George at three and nine o'clock, and the houses I have lived in every summer for my whole life to my front and back.  When I look around, I can't help but see memories, people, and interactions that I have encountered in this area of the world over my years.  I even see the people whose faces I know from photographs of them sitting in these chairs.  They were on this porch, holding cocktails, when the love and laughter was created.  Chit-chat and gossip with cousins and neighbors, all about each other—I love that I am a part of this, and I know that we will have this place to return to each other for all the rest of our days.

To be twenty-one, a Senior in college, and almost living on my own, the experiences with my best friends and family take place less often.  We used to see each other every day from the moments we woke up until as late as we could pass out.  Whether it was curfews reeling us in at twelve in the evening or the booze knocking us out just after the sun rose, I have seen and lived the most beautiful things in life at this place.  I am grateful for the ever present rumble of a speedboat in the distance, laughter from children across the bay, and waves splashing against the rocks.  These are the sensory experiences that let me know that I am safe, at home.

This is a place I know; it is a place I love.

Time to Think

I have spent the last week up in the mountains of Taos, New Mexico, learning about the history and culture while living a much more rural life than I am accustomed to.  While the air is pure and dry, living in a place without paved roads means there is dirt all around me.  My body has also felt fried from being in the dry heat of the days.  In my effort to find a balance in my altered lifestyle here, my sleep and water intake have increased significantly in order to support the exhaustion of my body.  This combination has had an impact on my mind, for I have never felt so clear headed and free in my thoughts.  My dreams have even been making sense out of issues that have been bothersome in my life for a long time.  Because there is very little to do here and very few people who I desire to get to know, I have really let go of thinking about what to do next.  Rather, my thoughts flow around and I act when one feels right.

Letting myself just be in this place is refreshing.  At the same time, however, there are moments when I have the urge to breakthrough an idea and create something to fill a piece of me that I feel is still missing.  With one more week to spend in Taos, I will make a conscious effort to pay attention to my thoughts and look for a common thread that continually weaves its way through my mind.  I want to actively pursue my passion in this lifetime, but first, I must have a clear vision and purpose for what I want to spend my time in this world doing.

                                                      {~ listen to your heart ~}