As the year rushes to a close, like all good Pacific Northwesterners, I rush outdoors whenever there's a break in the chilly, gray winter drizzle. Walking is a big thing here. When the sun appears, big smiles on our faces, we hightail it to the nearest trail to inhale the fresh smells of a lake, the sharp fragrance of tall evergreens, the earthy scent of mossy trees and fallen leaves. For a few moments, day-to-day worries vanish. Until moving to the PNW three years ago, my happy place was a lush, crescent-shaped tropical beach. That's still my dream, but the lake and mountain trails here, dappled sun slanting through tall, tall trees, expand my insides in a way that feels fresh and invigorating.
I hope you'll take a few moments for yourself during the holidays. Whether it's the endless to-do lists, the sadness of missing those who are no longer here, girding oneself for dealing with difficult relatives, or whatever can weigh you down when you're supposed to be happy, you're worth taking time for.
Have a lovely holiday and a joyful, inspiring new year!
If you need a last-minute gift for a sailor in your life, go here to learn about my sailing adventures with my late husband and young daughter when we followed his lifelong dream and left everything behind to sail away.