Tag Archives: Personal Growth

Discomfort

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Yesterday I finished reading a novel that was both captivating and stomach turning. Maybe it’s the mood I’m in right now but I wasn’t prepared for the rawness of this story. The book is called “The Song Of The Blue Bottle Tree” by India Hanford.

The author weaves together the stories of multiple people in 1967 including a snake handling preacher who abuses and molests women and girls in his life, a Vietnam veteran who comes home fighting a different kind of war, and a woman whose story is rich and unpredictable.

I liked the book but there were times the abuse theme was too much to absorb. Luckily, I didn’t dwell long in this oppressive world because the story was so well told I didn’t want to put the book down and it ended quickly.

When I told my fella all this, he asked if I was glad to have read it.

My answer was this:

Literature is not always meant to be comfortable.

If you are always completely comfortable with what you’re reading, it’s time to try some new books. Yes, we read to entertain ourselves but we ought to also be reading to expand our minds and learn about something that is different than the world we know.

The world does not owe us comfort. This applies to books and movies, to jobs or teachers that push us further than we wish to go, to the historic record that we don’t like, and the contemporary events that drive us to change the channel when the news comes on.

I have been thinking some about solo hikes and road trip adventures. These things didn’t always come easy but I did them anyway and am better for it.

Discomfort is where the growth begins. Trust me. I have experience in this area.

I know people who read just one genre and watch only certain kinds of tv shows. They vacation in the same place year after year and stick to the same blandly scripted series of safe choices.

I hope to never be that person.

Let’s all vow to try new things when we can, to open our minds to the things that make us think, and to refuse to accept comfort when we can instead choose growth.

Ukrainian Easter Eggs

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The local library here hosted a Pysanky workshop this weekend. This is a Ukrainian egg decorating technique that uses dye and wax. They tend to use traditional folk designs that are intricate and colorful.

Our instructor has 39 years of experience with this mind boggling art form because her Ukrainian grandmothers taught her beginning at a young age. Her skills and patience are admirable.

We were first given egg shapes on paper to sketch our designs in pencil. Crayons were used to experiment with the palette and inspiration came from books and an assortment of eggs she had on display. Once we had our ideas together, we chose an egg and were armed with a lit candle, block of wax and a little tool used to draw on the egg with the wax.

Given my obsession with sunflowers last summer, it was logical to do something with a sunflower pattern. Not only is the sunflower the national flower of Ukraine, it’s a captivating example of how imperfections can be beautiful. I strolled through three sunflower fields last summer and my favorite flowers were the ones that were flawed.

Here’s my egg.

It is incredibly flawed and the sunflower imperfect but I’m still quite proud of how it turned out. I love the palette I chose and the design too. The execution leaves a lot to be desired as working with wax on a real egg shell is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done.

All the same, I managed to get it done and had fun in the process. It now is in a place of honor on my bookshelf, a pretty reminder that enjoying the creative process can be as rewarding as the outcome. Also a reminder that perfection is overrated and that imperfections can be beautiful.

I suspect and hope that this was not my last attempt. I will count on trying it again someday.

Here’s one more view of her gorgeous eggs.

Here’s something about imperfections from last year. I wrote about sunflower fields here, here and here. I would recommend finding one near you this summer! If you get a chance to try a new kind of art, I recommend you do that too!

What I Learned From The Pandemic

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It’s June. Our world here in Ohio (and the rest of the country) has been screwy since March. Some of us have picked up new hobbies, found new passions and maybe even have begun to self reflect. Here’s what I have learned from the pandemic:

1. I do well on my own. Years of experience as an only child have served me well because I’ve had no trouble living alone and not seeing others. Who knew this life skill would come in so handy?

2. Dressing nicely is something I miss. Jury duty recently offered me a court ordered excuse to put on a dress and leave the house. Fellow jurors complained but I was excited to wear something other than shorts and a t-shirt.

3. The ability to move about freely is something we take for granted. Lots of cancelled plans and other inconveniences are disappointing but the real frustration is being unable to just move about freely. I used to hit the road on Saturday mornings for fun, roaming freely in a variety of directions. During the shut down there was nowhere to go and nothing to do. I’ll never take for granted my Saturday meanderings again.

4. I am fortunate and privileged. With no kids to educate or spouse in the way, I’m free to manage my time as is best for me. I’m employed and staying busy with plenty of interests to keep me occupied. My life is good compared to many others.

5. Constant dependence on the store can be minimized. Back in March, when it was clear that things were about to turn serious, I stocked up on all sorts of things – cat food and litter, toiletries, pantry items, frozen foods, trash bags, and anything else I could think of that would keep. By doing this and by managing fresh produce wisely, it became possible to hit the store every couple of weeks. While there, I would replenish supplies used from the pantry and pick up produce, thus keeping myself in a constant state of stocked up. It has saved me a lot of money not running to the store whenever I need a few things.

6. On a lighter note, I learned that the pickles pictured above are positively addictive. I don’t know what they put in these things but they’re amazing!

What have you learned from the pandemic? I would love to hear your stories!

Checking Off The Bucket List At Uncle Buck’s

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I checked off one of my Post Covid Bucket List items with a trail ride at Uncle Buck’s Riding Stable.

Once upon a time, I was the marketing director for my community and often sent visitors to Uncle Buck’s but somehow never made it out for a ride.

This was my first time on a horse and I’m sure it wasn’t very pretty but our guides were patient and super to give clear, helpful guidance.

We took a trail through the beautiful Zaleski State Forest to the infamous and possibly haunted Moonville Tunnel. The trail weaves through peaceful forest and is simply lovely.

I’m a hiker but it was fun to see the woods from a different perspective.

My horse was gentle and so familiar with the trail I’m sure she wished I would just relax and let her do her job.

That’s hard for a control freak like myself.

It’s hard for me to be a passenger in a car or to watch while someone else does something I know how to do. I fight those tendencies but it’s hard to squelch those control issues.

It was unfamiliar territory being on an animal that I didn’t really know how to control or communicate with. Adding in my timidness about handling her because I didn’t want to hurt her created a sort of bad combination but things worked out anyway. It’s probably a kind of personal growth that I’m able to acknowledge not doing something well and being ok with it.

I would absolutely go back to Uncle Buck’s and maybe next time feel better equipped. At this point, I’m just grateful that I didn’t fall off given that I’m neither graceful nor coordinated!

I do almost everything by myself but was glad to be there with friendly company. I was with a friend, her niece and another friend. None of us cared about being uncoordinated and silly in front of each other and that made it easier.

Want to take a trail ride at Uncle Buck’s? I hope you will! They’re great folks who provide a fun service for all ages.

They’re a seasonal business that has lost a couple of months worth of income. Let’s help them catch up! Visit them online for details. You can also find them on Facebook.

If not this small business, look around your community for small businesses that you can support. Remember that those big box stores and many online retailers have been making money hand over fist during the pandemic. They’re doing great. The chain restaurants will survive. The conglomerates will be fine.

The mom and pop stores, restaurants and service providers need you. They need all of us. Let’s give ’em some business! Have a favorite small business you want to support? Tell me about it!

Flying Like A Bird

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It isn’t every day that you have a chance to check something off your bucket list. So when the opportunity presents itself, you have to do it. Even if it’s something that scares you a little. Actually, especially if it’s something that scares you.

b3It has long been my goal to take a ride in a biplane. There’s just something  romantic about these open air planes and the barnstorming that has been done with them since the years following World War I.

I can’t describe it but my heart takes flight a little every time I see one in the air. 

There was an opportunity to take a ride a couple of weeks ago at a hot air balloon festival but I found every excuse in the book to not do it. So when I learned there would be rides given at an airport in a neighboring community, I simply had to go.

Incidentally, the James A. Rhodes Airport in Jackson County was celebrating their 50th anniversary yesterday with a big shindig – cool aircraft on display, some RC flyers, a Model A Club and rides with Dewey Davenport of Goodfolk and O’Tymes Biplane Rides of the Xenia area. 

This was a really fun blue sky day of celebration but it was a big day for me too. You see, part of the reason that excuses were made to not take a biplane ride is that I have a ridiculous fear of heights. I don’t do roller coasters and cringe at the thought of a glass elevator. But I’ve been up in aircraft before – commercial flights, small planes at my local airport and even a helicopter (sans door as I was taking pictures for a newspaper that day) and it’s ok.

But to glide through the air with the wind in your face and nothing between you and the sky? In a 1930 D-25 New Standard that looks like it belongs in a museum?

Never before.

And guys. Wow. It’s fabulous. 

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It probably helps that I had an experienced pilot who is so enthusiastic about his work that I had no choice but to trust him. He’s fantastic. Really. Dewey Davenport is his name and if you see that he’s coming to an event near you, go take a ride. You won’t regret it.  That’s him pictured with me above. And if you’re wondering what’s up with the sign, click here to read about the origins.   Long story short – I have a smart mouth and warped sense of humor.

But this story isn’t really about the plane ride, funny sign or pilot. Sure, the experience was amazing. But it’s really about you and whatever is holding you back.

There has to be something that you’ve always wanted to do, maybe even something that scares you. Please don’t let fear prevent you from doing something that you want to do.

Friends, life is worth living. Go do it. Have an adventure. Go far away. Stay close to home. Do what scares you. Embrace the thing you love most. Whatever it is, do something that will make you smile at the end of this day and every day.

Life IS worth living. Make it what you want. 

This is an area I’m still working on. Truth is, I don’t know what I want my life to look like so I’m just exploring the world as much as possible and doing the things that make me happy as well as the ones that scare me because they often are the same. We’ve discussed this topic here a couple of times before but we all could use a periodic refresher.

I imagine myself to be a kindred spirit of Amelia Earhart, Sheriff Maude Collins and other strong women from history. However, I’m probably a little more closely related to Snoopy versus the Red Barron and maybe Deputy Barney Fyffe! Regardless, I faced a fear and had such a fabulous time doing it that I’m already plotting to take another ride with Dewey someday.

And if you wonder what makes me an authority on this topic, just scroll up and look at that smile. It really was the best day. But this story is going to be a two parter! I checked something else off my bucket list but you’ll have to wait till Monday to read about it!

Want to know more about Dewey and biplanes? Check out his website and his YouTube vlog by searching his name.

A Funny Thing Happened On Day 29

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Whole 30 Day 29 didn’t go as planned. I took a trip to the Franklin Park Conservatory for a morning of art and flowers. The plan was to buy a salad and eat the fruit and nuts that I had packed.

That was the plan until I discovered the food truck served the Beyond Burger. If you’re vegetarian you know how exciting it is to find a quality vegetarian options on a menu. The Beyond Burger is amazing.

As I stood there studying the menu, a part of me demanded that I order the salad and be happy about it. Just a day and a half to go and I could say I’ve successfully completed four rounds. But there was another voice. It was the voice of a person who has done a few successful rounds and who feels she has nothing to prove.

The goal of the Whole 30 for me is to reset my bad eating habits and to acquire a taste for whole foods that are good for me.

Would a day make a difference?

If you’re a beginner, yes.

If you’re trying to identify foods that cause your ailments, yes.

If it’s important to you personally that you accomplish the thirty days – you bet.

But for me? No.

I have done a pretty good job ridding myself of bad habits and there was nothing wrong with eating the Beyond Burger topped with onions, cabbage, peppers, mushrooms and the best tomato jam I’ve ever tasted.

It was a delicious experience eating my burger and feeling the breeze in my hair and I do not regret this decision.

If I were trying to complete a round, tomorrow would be a restart. Day one again. With Whole 30, you restart every time you stray from the rules. Every single time.

But for me, it’s not about the round. It’s about good health. So tomorrow I will simply continue making the best possible decisions, eating clean and feeling good about it.

A year ago, I would have felt like a quitter.

Today, I feel accomplished for knowing that goals and priorities change and that I’m capable of adapting rather than blindly following a rule.

Isn’t this what the quest for personal growth is all about?