Wow, what a whirlwind 2020 has been so far and we are only halfway through the year.
I am not one to say, "only 6 months until 2020 is over, let's start over again," or, "can't wait til this year is over," because that is essentially 'wishing' too much of our time away. That being said, I think many of us can agree that this year has brought us face-to-face with where we are at and made us think about where we are going. I touched on this greatly in my previous post about Lummi Bay.
Being in 2020 is like sitting in circle time in kindergarten where you find yourself distracted, and the teacher says your name and then instructs you to turn your whole body towards them to pay attention. 2020 is a major call-out in front of everyone. And we all just got called out as a collective whole. Cool.
There really isn't anything comfortable about being called out in front of everyone. In fact, it can be embarrassing and tortuous for some of us. When I was in school, I used to DREAD being called on without raising my hand first, giving presentations or speeches, and drawing any sort of attention to myself.
If I've got something to say, rest assured, you WILL be hearing about it when I'm good and ready.
But 2020 is the teacher that doesn't care if we are good and ready. So there's that.
In being placed front and center with our life decisions to date, and being forced to be present in the here and now, we are all more retrospective and contemplative during this time. I think that's only natural. The part of me that has always itched for more attention is the explorer-adventurer in me. It's always scheming about the next trip, the next expedition into new territory. And, it always hopes that I'll just abandon any sort of structure and prudence and pull the trigger on these plans.
This idea has always been interesting to me as someone who considers myself to be a very calculated risk-taker as a general rule when I also have this very spontaneous side as well.
In preparing for this adventure, Kris and I knew that we wanted to do a backpacking trip to get out in nature, nothing says its summer like camping does, am I right?! But, after spending weeks at home during the pandemic on Zoom calls and just generally getting by some days, we were questioning our physical stamina. Kris said, "Kate, I just want to say that I may not be in the best physical shape right now but my spirit is ready!" We decided our spirits were feeling very athletic! We knew we would likely be sore after carrying 35+ pound packs for 8 or more miles but it would be worth it- sometimes the calculated risk-taker in me that I mentioned before gets mowed down by the free bird in me who dreams of the magic that comes with novelty.
We headed for this 8 mile hike in central Washington that includes stops at 2 lakes, Lost Lake and Manastash Lake. These could both be done as day hikes as well but we elected to bring camping gear and stay at the top lake- Manastash Lake for one night. The first half mile with my 35 pound pack had me whining and complaining (sorry, Kris!), but soon after that I was so happy to be breathing fresh air and moving my body that I almost forgot I was wearing it.
The first lake, Lost Lake, isn't far from the parking lot and is a great day spot for a picnic or maybe cooling off your feet on a hot summer day. Manastash Lake is a few miles up beyond the first and feels quite a bit more primitive with fewer established hiking paths around the lake. There's something about water that just makes me feel so connected to life and nature- maybe it's the Pisces in me.
Something that Kris and I talked extensively about is that, for many of us, this year has been about coming back into 'remembering.'
What does that even mean? When we have the time and the space for introspection and evaluation of if we are on the right path for us, we notice a couple things. We may notice that we are really crushing it when it comes to doing the things that bring us the greatest joy, or we may find that we lost our way somehow. We forgot, for a time what those things were that we wanted to set out to do.
When Kris and I were hiking along with our giant packs on our backs and breathing in the fresh alpine air (along with the scent of some homemade bug spray), it was a lot easier to remember the things that are important to us because there aren't as many distractors. I felt like suddenly those things were right in front of me, making me feel like the answers were obvious all along. (Also now wondering if the bug spray has brain clarifying properties...)
Note: I'm pretty sure if Lewis and Clark had an iPhone, they'd have taken a photo just like this on their expedition.
I feel like being in nature is a catalyst for this process of remembering...
...remembering what brings us joy, what makes us laugh, what lights us up, and what we need to feel fulfilled and accomplished at the end of the day. We remember how we want to spend our days, or at the very least, we gain clarity about how we do NOT want to spend them.
And then, some of us start to give ourselves some messages, messages of lack.
Maybe some of these messages are,
"I don't have the skill-set required for that career," or,
"I don't have enough money in savings to travel right now,"
"I'm not good enough at _____,"
"I'll get to that some day..."
It all boils down to convenience, time, and projections of lack upon yourself. Do you find yourself calling it quits or not pulling the trigger on these things after hearing those phrases, or the phrases specific to you, enter your mind?
What if it really were easy to just initiate working towards our most magnetic desires, or making them a consistent priority in your life? Are we making this more difficult than it has to be? A common theme that is coming up for me lately that I can't seem to shake is the idea of two opposing mindsets. Abundance vs Lack.
What stories were you told when you were young about where your limits were? What messages were you sent about how much you could achieve and accomplish?
These messages are received both verbally and nonverbally. Were you led to believe you have limits (lack)? Or, are you limitless (abundant)?
In a way, nature is limitless, infinite. And when Kris and I were in nature this weekend, we remembered how limitless we are.
We are currently living in a time where it can be easy to notice the 'limits' that are being placed upon us, or, if we pay close attention, we might even notice the ones we are placing on ourselves.
Nature is ever-growing, ever-changing, and no one thing is the same from one moment to the next.
So, why shouldn't you be the same?
Nature is celebrated for its seasons, vibrance, life, vastness, and therefore, LACK OF LIMITS.
In the spirit of adventure, I hope the photographs from this camping expedition encourage you to explore and challenge the limits that others have projected upon you, and those that you have put on yourself.
Seek more moments that make you feel limitless.
