Meditative Retreat

Co-incidence follows co-incidence. I suprised myself with my own decision to hike that AT and in turn was challenged in that decision by my own leg in continuing to hike. I was knocked out of the hike by my own decision to push too hard in the beginning without building a good base, taking time and letting the hike happen. Instead I pushed to get it done as fast as I could. It’s kinda ironic kinda funny, I pushed to spend time relaxing in nature. So I developed a muscular issue with the tendons on the posterior side of my knee but I sure did fly up those Georgia mountains and pushed/inspired those hiking with me. So I looked the hero but had to take time out in the end. I got a phone call from one of my friends still on the trail, he summited Clingman’s Dome and saw a mamma and a baby bear all on Thursday. Brother Graham was bummed to hear I wasn’t on the trail and I was disappointed in telling him.

However I am blessed and co-incidence following co-incidence; as I took a rest new things happened. A friend of mine, Honor Woodard was aware of my situation via Facebook and offered a place for me to stay whilst I recuperated. Good things happen when one puts it out there! I met her at massage school and found myself fortunate, she gave me two hours of bodywork which helped my leg but didn’t fix it. (it was ‘fixed’ until I went for a day-hike)

Her home was a beautiful log cabin nestled in a little holler’. I was picked up in Franklin NC and driven about 40 min south to Clayton GA. We chatted along the way, I mentioned that I only needed a place to relax, meditate and read. Well she said “there’s a meditation center right down the road and they’re doing a retreat this week.” This was at a wonderful place called The Center for Spiritual Awareness or CSA.

I like meditating. I sit 40 minutes  each day. I was skeptical about a ‘retreat’ but it was free, or donation based and it wasn’t mandatory to attend all or any of it. So with nothing to lose I attended Monday then Tuesday then Wednesday all the way till Friday. I wouldn’t have been there if my leg was working, I would have been back on the trail pushing as hard and fast as my body allowed! No lesson to be learned there, instead I was able to slow down a little bit, meet some wonderful people and enjoy a beautiful part of Georgia.

When it ended I caught a ride from my friend Joy whom I had met at the seminar. He was kind enough to drive me an hour and half out of his way so I could get my car, which I had left for two weeks in a little town called Suches, GA, sitting in a parking lot at the trailhead.

It was still there, Joy waited for it to start, blessed me then made his way South back to his Florida home.

I hung out for a minute, “Peered down the trail as far as I could to where it disappeared in the undergrowth” then hopped in my car and made my way to my hometown Richmond Virginia, hoping to surprise my father for Father’s day, forgetting that it’s on Sunday not Saturday. Ooops.

I found him to be at work. So I took initiative myself and went for a run.

Ironically I write about this last yet it’s importance is not in any way insignificant. My mind has been on it for a while,  even while hiking my intention was training, now without further ado it comes time for me to get my focus on it more specifically. The next thing for me, the biggest opportunity I have at the moment is the National Triathlon Championship, I have qualified and registered. I  intend to place. Where I need the most work is in the pool or in a lake… For those of you that know me, know that I have some fears around swimming.  I have my work cut out for me, luckily I can train wherever I am dedicated. This is my work.