Sometimes I get so caught up with life and whats happening right now that I forget about the simple pleasures that surround me. Even though I live in an area where rugged beauty prevails I often forget to take it all in and appreciate it. But yesterday was a different story. Mace and I have had so much stress in our lives for the past year and yesterday it just got to the point that we needed to turn it all off. So we packed up a lunch, the dog, and the camera and just headed out in the woods for the day.
We didn't do anything special or grand. We just found an old forest service road and toodled on up it. When we got tired of driving we found a good spot to park and had our lunch, much to Cassie the wonder dalmatians impatience. She did however appreciate receiving the crusts off the sandwiches and a few potato chips tossed her way. It was just nice to sit there on a rock overlooking the mountains and valleys, breathing in the sweet air, and forgetting about the things that have been stressing us both out. Once our lunch was finished we decided to go for a little hike. Again it wasn't anything rigorous or extreme and we really didn't have any purpose in mind. Instead we just walked along a ridge line and saw what there was to see, heard the birds chirping, and panicked a few chipmunks who thought Cassie was going to steel their nut reserves.
By the time we got back to the truck the sun was starting to go down so we decided to head on home. Not that we really wanted to but figured that just because we were going home didn't mean that we had to do anything stressful once we got back. Instead we lit a fire in the bbq pit and grilled a steak for dinner and watched the sun go down while the coals finally burned out. All the while we were able to just talk and relax and of course I was especially happy just watching the fire. I don't know what it is about watching flames but its so hypnotizing and calming. Mace has always thought that I had a little bit of a pyro in me, which maybe I do, but mostly I just like seeing the shapes of the flames change and feeling the warmth of them on my face. Sitting around a fire takes me back to camping with my family when I was little. Its something just so soothing. Its probably a good thing that our wood stove in the house doesn't have a glass panel front on it or I'd spend the entire winter watching the flames from the living room couch.
What I've come to realize is that it doesn't take much to decompress. Sometimes it just takes a day away from the hustle and bustle of life. I've also come to realize that both Mace and I need to do things like this more often instead of waiting til we're both so frazzled that it hurts. So that is one of my goals for the next year is making sure we both take a few days here and there to just let all our cares waste away. I mean really how many things in life can't wait a day?
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