Away from it all

For this year's vacation, we went to the middle of nowhere. Literally. On the top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere. And we drove straight up the gravel road to get here. And there we stayed. We didn't go anywhere. There wasn't anywhere to go. And even if there was, I wasn't going down that driveway again until absolutely necessary. As in, the day we left. 

It was nice to do nothing all week, especially since last year we did Disney and did EVERYTHING. And were surrounded by So. Many. People.  This year, it's just us. The five of us. Lots of food, books and a pool!  We would just sleep, swim and eat. It was one of the best vacations ever. Nothing to do but just BE. Which is something I really need to practice. 

I packed for this trip for a couple weeks. Yes. There was a list. Multiple lists. So that I could relax on the trip. There were a few things that we should have brought with us. And a couple things I thought I brought but apparently forgot. But we had what we had. So we had to make it work. For example: Bread. I thought I had the bread in the car (we brought our groceries). But at lunchtime, alas, there was no bread. So peanut butter sandwiches with graham crackers instead - which I had remembered. (Because s'mores are more important than sandwiches!) 

It's interesting that my thoughts recently have been focused on having less stuff. Seeing how well it worked this past week - when you have just what you need - nothing more. And you use what you have!  It inspires and encourages me to do that here at home. Use and enjoy what we have. And not bring much new stuff in. This two part less stuff plan will be interesting to see how it plays out in real life.  

Being up on the mountain made things seem so simple. Normal daily routines of life aren't so simple (and lazy!) but I am inspired to seek a new way to find creative ways to add simple to our daily life. I seem to make things too complicated. Much of that comes from fear. Fear that I will fail. Fear that I won't have enough time. Fear that if we get rid of a bunch of stuff, we will need that ONE thing that I just threw out. Just this undercurrent of fear. That fear is one thing I DO want to throw out! 

One way I do want to change the way I live is to purposely fit in leisure time. Playing with the kids - and just leisure time for me. I guess I just put it off until everything else is done (which is never going to happen) or I just think that it takes too much time. But really, sitting down to read a magazine or a chapter in a book - do a puzzle or even just stare out the window a bit - these things don't take very long.  I take just about as long thinking that I don't have the time or being upset that I never do anything fun. I just need to take the time. And what great results I will have!  Take back a little of my day for me.  This week I got to see what I was missing out on. And now I want to change that.