Distractedness & Leaps of Faith ...

"Distractedness" ... A word?  Well, I like to invent my own words ...

For some reason, writer’s block --even mild bouts—translates into restlessness … distractedness?... for me in other parts of my life. Thus, I have been making the effort to change things up and get out to explore/go on new adventures. Well, there is a set of waterfalls that I have been wanting to visit for quite some time now. They are a bit of a drive, followed by a substantial hike to make it to the falls proper … That is to say, you can’t just drive to these falls, park your car, walk a few feet and be able to see them (a.k.a. “shake and bake” as my kids call it). These falls are nestled safely within a protective bosom of tall coniferous and evergreen trees. So it takes a somewhat serious commitment in order to tackle them, not to mention the better part of the day. Well, I really felt like I was about snap yesterday; hence my willingness to take on this challenge. Exercise and being out amongst nature is my saving grace, my way to find my center once again and restore balance. Something about water seems play a vital role in restoring balance for me too?

It was a beautiful day up here in Washington yesterday. Vivid blue skies and playful, fluffy clouds … not a speck of grey and gloomy to be found in the Seattle and surrounding areas. I even managed to round up my kids and Ken and take them with me, sans electronic devices … Okay, the cell phones made the trip, but only for photographic purposes. I left my big camera at home. Didn’t feel like lugging it on a multi-mile hike.

The hike through the woods to the falls was pretty and substantially cooler than any summertime activity I can remember engaging in the blazing heat of the Texas summer sun. The elevation change was a thigh burner: 500 ft. elevation change from the river base up the middle level falls and 1300 ft. (overall ... bottom to tip-top) change to the very top of the falls … and no, in case you were wondering I did not succeed in taking my digitally entrenched kids all the way to the top, but we got close. Don’t want to burn them out and turn them off nature all-together ; )

After we hiked up to the falls, we stopped and played in the river … climbing on river rocks and frolicking in the cool, clean water. As I've mentioned before: I love to climb … one of my favorite pastimes as a kid and, I guess, I still am a kid at heart. Well, I saw a huge boulder lying out smack in the middle of the river and it was calling to me. The kids thought I was crazy to try and make my way out there, but I love a good challenge. Besides, the worst that could happen I figured was that I’d fall in and cool off in the nice cold water –okay not the absolute worst … could have cracked my head on a rock, but I don’t often entertain those worst case scenario possibilities in the moment: life’s too short, right?

So I took off my shoes and climbed, jumped and skipped my way out into the middle of the river to sit atop of the big, fabulous boulder and it felt G-R-E-A-T! I saw a really cool water snake on my out there too … about 5+ feet long, jet black with a vivid yellow strip running down his back. Fortunately, he was moving in the opposite direction of me. Surprised me at first because I had a dream with a snake in it just the night before … so maybe it shouldn’t have surprised me?

Here’s a “photo” of me sitting on my big boulder in the center of the river, finding my own center once again. It’s good to be back =))))))))))

Have work to do on my tan still.  I blend well with this river scene?

[My daughter is in the foreground for scale.  I'm the blonde blur in the top right corner]

The kids all had their cell phone cameras ready to capture a photo of mom falling face first into the river on my way back to shore. I felt bad about having to disappoint them ; ) It was funny, as we were leaving a group of college-aged guys had come up. They were trying to make their way out to the center of the river too, but as I looked back … none of them had gotten there. The last 10 feet to the boulder required a bit of a slippery leap of faith … If I was going to go in that would have been the place. The jump toward the boulder was not as bad as going back. Going toward the boulder the 6 ft. gap of leap was from a small rock barely sticking up out of the water onto a highly slanted larger boulder top. Going back to shore you had to go from highly slanted surface onto the barely foot-sized tiny top of rock and then from this onto another small boulder (12" x 14") feet away that was low in the water --hence wet and slippery.  And yes, I’ll admit that the return leap was a bit scary, but it’s good to stand on the precipice of what you fear, every now and again, and find the courage within to take your leap, I think. Leaps of faith are like real world energy gummies in video games.

So go find your own fabulous, big boulder and take your own leap of faith!!



Peace & Love,


~M



Here's one of  the few songs I can think of for river?  Love this group anyhow ...

Song:  "Don't Cross the River", By America (A fairly recent live performance, I guess?)