I had every intention of completing my “Vision Board” at the cottage in July when I was alone for a few days, but I found myself much too busy with cleaning, relaxing and quiet thoughts!
Believing that I had figured out some answers to the future, August started off with gusto. And once back in Amherstburg I quickly settled into my morning routine of walking and weight training, rewarded by a breakfast protein shake; I truly believed that I was on the right track.
So I was definitely in the right frame of mind to work on my Vision Board as I boarded a plane for Boise, Idaho. Yes indeed, Boise, Idaho. You are probably wondering why and so was I at first, so I will explain a bit.
Jim, who is the husband of my cousin Ann, had a goal to climb the highest point in each of the United States and believe it or not, but Idaho was to be his last one. So the plan was to gather friends and family at a Ranch in Idaho, so we could all celebrate Jim’s successful completion of his 50th high point.
So that is why I found myself on a plane to Boise, Idaho – where I was scheduled to land at approximately the same time as Dr. Wayne and Judi, from Flagstaff. They had graciously agreed to my company in their car on the way to the ranch, which was about four hours away.
Along the way we had the opportunity to experience some incredible landscape and stopped at Craters of the Moon, where we took in a historical film and learned a bit about the area. We also stopped in a small town to make a quick visit to the local gas/convenience/liquor store to pick up some champagne and supplies. The gentlemen in line seemed quite fascinated by Judi’s purchase of wine, champagne, orange juice and peanut butter that they actually stepped aside to allow us to complete our transaction ahead of them. Little did I realize at the time that we were in the heart of relatively “dry” country and two women purchasing alcohol was probably an oddity of sorts!
Even with our scenic detour we arrived at the Wild Creek Ranch ahead of the others; the good news was that we had received instructions on how to get inside before we lost blackberry service! It was a very welcoming place to stay because we entered by an unlocked kitchen door! We had no trouble finding our rooms in the pool house and quickly settled in. We had just poured ourselves a glass of wine and were enjoying the incredible surroundings when Ann, Jim and Katie (their daughter) arrived with tons of supplies for the next four days!
Honestly I am just not very adventurous by nature, so as Jim and Katie went off to climb the mountain, I got up and went for a four mile walk on much flatter terrain. It was a truly gorgeous morning, with crisp mountain air, and the sun just beginning to warm things up. It felt a bit like being in a western movie as I walked along the gravel road quietly.
However the silence didn’t last long, and the ranch soon became a very busy place with 14 of us in total, including four children under the age of ten....so let’s just say that I welcomed that little bit of solitude during my morning walks!
And I also freely admit that I bailed on the white water rafting trip to the Salmon River on the Friday for several reasons, but mainly I was truly afraid of injuring my left arm which is only about 90% back to normal and also because I selfishly wanted some quiet time to enjoy the surroundings.
It was a perfect afternoon to sit outside, surrounded by the mountains, and finish reading the book about creating my “Vision Board”. Now some may be asking what a Vision Board is – and that is a good question – but it is supposed to help you identify your life goals. The idea is that you create a board with words and pictures of things that are important to you that will inspire and guide you along your path in life.
Only there was one slight problem for me, and it was quite intimidating at first; I was never very good in art class and have always shied away from anything that is even slightly creative. The good news is that your Vision Board can be created without pictures if you want; by using words; phrases; or ideas.
Reflecting about my future with a glass of wine while breathing the clean mountain air certainly provided some clarity about life – even without definite answers about the future. I was truly at peace as I realized that life will unfold as it should in the coming months. The questions that I have about work, reconstruction surgery and life in general will all be answered in due time.
It was a lot of fun to celebrate Jim’s successful climb. In fact, he climbed it twice that weekend, not because it was an easy climb; but because his friend John from Italy and Phil from Oregon came to join him in the climb as well! I however, avoided “chicken out ridge” and stuck to the flatter terrain on Saturday as well.
I left Idaho without all of the answers about the future, but that was ok, because I now understood that my Vision Board would be a work in progress.
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