Happy Monday-Tuesday, Journeyer!

As I type this week’s Happy Happens column, I am aboard Delta flight 3674 headed from Charlotte to Detroit, where I’ll board another plane for my final destination.

Home.

Typing that word I am reminded of a phrase I often use: “Home is where I am.”

I don’t use the expression “Home is where my heart is” as that bears implication that I’d rather be someplace else.

And honestly, I want nothing more than to be comfortable wherever I am, to feel loved, supported, and welcomed.

Home to me these past four days has existed in the form of a little lakeside cottage where Fave and Whirrel reside.

From a pullout sofa in their living room, I rose each morning to see water gently lapping against their dock at the cove’s end.

As we visited we couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that it was exactly one year ago that I made the trip south to help them de-cobweb and scrub and paint their first shared home.

As is in life, in some ways it seems like yesterday and in other ways it feels like many years have passed.

During this short stay I had a chance to meet the fiancé of one of Fave’s childhood friends, a sidekick who happened to relocate about the same time and ended up only about an hour away.

As we were getting to know one another, this gal made some reference to how busy my boy is.

“He’s always lived life wide open,” I joked.

It’s true. He honestly began running before he mastered the art of walking.

Nine months old and he couldn’t wait to explore everything around him.

His curiosity was coupled with a strong desire to do and know and be everything, all traits that helped him achieve the highest honors in school and on competitive, worldwide athletic stages.

As a mother, I am so proud of the man he is and excited to witness the many other adventures that lie ahead.

In similar ways, all of my children have lived life fully, standing up to challenge, celebrating success, honoring the world around them with kindness, compassion, and consideration, and living life fully.

As they saying goes, “They come by it honestly,” as both Warren and I, despite a myriad of misgivings, mistakes, and mountains we’ve climbed in our time together, have tried to embrace those things that bring us both joy and growth.

When we’re able to recognize the beauty in both of those things, we are happier, Journeyer.

Today, now Tuesday, I returned to my seasonal place of employment.

“How was your summer?” I greeted each person I met.

This is the reply that came every single time: “Too short.”

And almost invariably, when I asked, “How was it besides too short?” the response was “Too hot.”

As you know, my summer has been filled with classes and all kinds of learning, most notably becoming certified to practice Reiki and Integrated Energy Therapy.®

It would be easy to look back at all of the work that I took on during my summer break and feel overwhelmed or question where time went.

But that’s not the case.

I don’t feel like my free time was short-changed. Truth be told, I don’t really have any feelings about my return to this other work.

Last week I realized why: Because I’ve been living life wide open.

I’ve been pursuing my dreams and am finally doing the work that I came to this earth to do.

I am helping heal worlds of hurt through YOU, which means that WE are helping heal worlds of hurt.

I love what I do. I love the learning that has accompanied my personal expansion into new endeavors.

I love you.

All of you.

I’ve enjoyed every minute we’ve shared IRL and I look forward to meeting even more of you.

I like to think that we are the best parts of one another. When we unite as neighbors in grief and allies in healing we are joined by unbridled beauty.

I love learning and each and every one of you are my teachers.

It can’t be any better than Maya Angelou’s quote: “When we learn, teach; when we get, give.”

Living life wide open allows us to be brave, to be open, and to act boldly, even when we’re afraid of failure or scared out of our minds by our potential success.

Living life wide open allows us to receive abundance and then to send it back out into the world.

But the most important thing I realized about living my summer wide open is this: I am fulfilled.

It is said that time only exists in this earthly plane, on this planet.

It is hard to wrap our minds around that concept.

It is equally hard to wrap our minds around the concept that there is a love so pure that it doesn’t compare itself to others, it doesn’t see pain as suffering, rather opportunity to help us reach our best and highest self.

What I do know–what I learned this summer–Journeyer, is this:

When we are fulfilled, Peace steps in where Time once stood.

What about you, Journeyer? What moment(s) made time stand still for you this week?

Until next time, yours in hope, healing, and happiness,