Get out...

A couple years ago I got up every morning and ran, biked, hiked or just walked and looked around every morning. Years before that I would feed the animals, garden, or have coffee watching wild geese. 

But a couple years ago I got sick and it was too hard to drag myself out of bed in the morning. I needed sleep. I really did. And that was OK and good.

But this morning, I walked out, as I have been for a while, and noticed how beautiful the world can be. I had missed being out. 

A few years (alright-many years) ago I prided myself on thinking radically and letting my mind wander. I meditated, did yoga, played music. 

But then I became focused on work, financial security and rest of the "faulty plan".  I stayed inside the box in my mind. This was less OK, but I can rationalize it as necessary. 

But recently I realized had imprisoned my mind in a box that didn't allow for other ways of thinking. I opened my mind and saw different ways of thinking about things. And I could accept and appreciate those ideas again. 

A few years ago (true confession-maybe never) I was brave and courageous to step out of my comfort zone. To meet new people from different cultures, to meet people if different faiths and with different backgrounds.  To consider, try out and adopt some new actions which better fit my life. 

But then I fell into complacency.  It was easier to join groups and hang out with people like me. Even when my wife and I adopted transracially, we sought out other couples with transracially adopted kids. It was just easier. But more importantly, that ease took up all of my energy and did not allow for other experiences and life. And that was not OK. 

So a few years ago (true again) I started CHOOSING to partake in things that were outside my comfort zone. Slowly at first. Talking to people you didn't know.  A running club. Different church groups. Rock climbing. Small steps, but steps. And it was nice. 

This has spread to other areas of my life. Doing some social justice things like food pantry donations or Christmas donations. Making the people at work give to Toys for Tots instead of Christmas gifts. I. have helped with soup kitchens.  I have tried to accept and help with larger social issues like horizontal drilling and climate change. 

But it all started with getting out of the house, the apartment, the trailer, the tent or whatever nest I was in. 

My journey has been long. It has been right for me. May yours be right for you. Just take the journey. 


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