Returning Home

I just got back from a week-long hiking trip in Yellowstone with my folks, my sisters and my oldest niece.  And it was everything I hoped it would be.  And I’m also exhausted and unbelievably sore.  Even though you could pick your own level of difficulty each day with the hiking, my stubborn self chose difficult more often than not and navigating uneven terrain uses VERY different muscle groups than the flat paths along my usual walking route.  

But the part worth mentioning was just the reflections that came from a week away from my husband and kids and being re-immersed into my family of origin.  Usually when my extended family is together, my husband and kids are in the mix so I’m wearing lots of hats…wife, mama, sister, daughter, aunt.

But this last week, I wore two less hats and it was really meaningful.  Noticing the ways my sisters and I fell back into our usual banter and rhythm.  Seeing the ways we’re still uniquely us and also very connected.  Being my parent’s kid for a week without my own kids there,  was very different to experience.  The ways in which no matter how much I’ve grown, I’m still the middle child of our family and tend to fall into patterns of stubbornness for no reason at all.  And also the ways I’ve grown to hold more space for others’ experiences and can see that different can always exist while connection can be maintained.  

All in all, it was a week to remember and I’m so grateful for not only the time away, but the time I got to re-connect with those that know me the longest….in all the ways I needed and didn’t even know I needed to.

Here’s to being able to see where we came from as a way to also appreciate where we’re headed.  And also getting to sleep back in my bed surrounded by the family I’ve created.

Yours,

~ A