A Month of Gratitude: Embrace the Place Where You Are

I'm grateful for the big, noisy family God gave me.
Psalm 133:1 (KJV) Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!


I grew up with itchy feet. Not from athlete's foot...from wanderlust. From as far back as I can recall, I wanted to travel.

Perhaps it was from all the books I read about faraway places. When I read about the Connecticut Yankee, Huckleberry Finn's Mississippi raft trip, Robinson Crusoe's island, or the gold prospectors in Michener's Alaska, I longed for similar adventures. My life seemed pretty stale in small-town Kansas.

I wanted to be out there, trying new things and really living. The world looks pretty inviting from far away; a beautiful blue planet chock-full of grand sights. As wonderful as Earth is, it can be a cold place when no one is around to share. I love to travel, but doing it alone sounds completely uninteresting.

When my family took summer vacations, I stared out the car windows, wishing I had a daredevil life. Instead, I should have been looking inside the car, at the people around me. That's where the real adventure lies.

Family relationships can be hard work, and that's what makes them so worthwhile. I believe the greatest exploits reside within our hearts and minds, not outside the front door. Home is where the real living begins. Are you up for the adventure?

***

Female in Motion Health Update: As you may have heard on my Facebook fan page, I am cancer free!!! My trip to Cancer Treatment Centers of America last week confirmed it. The cancer is gone. Now the hard work begins. I want to get my former strength and endurance back, so I've started exercising again, in earnest. Feels good, too.

***

 Notable Quote:

The family is a haven in a heartless world.  ~Attributed to Christopher Lasch

Comments

Nancy Hamilton Sturm said…
I'm glad you didn't wander too far from home!
I was a military brat and traveled all the time. Now I'm glad I've had time to put down some roots. I've also learned that home and relationships take place wherever you are.
Thanks for the post!
November 4, 2013 at 10:02 PM
Female in Motion said…
So true, Nancy! When family is a priority in our lives, it is worth all the effort we give. Thanks for your comment and faithful reading.
November 5, 2013 at 8:20 AM
Ginny Marie said…
My husband loves to travel, while I love to stay at home! But then when I travel with him, I love to travel, too. :)
November 8, 2013 at 8:45 PM
Female in Motion said…
I'm so glad your husband has found someone extra-special to come home to, Ginny Marie!
November 9, 2013 at 11:15 PM
Mayor of Crazyville said…
I use to travel a lot for work. My favorite part was walking through the airport with dirty clothes. It ment home was close at hand. The best part about your health, you can now do whatever you want. Travel is a great option.
November 10, 2013 at 7:07 PM
Female in Motion said…
Coming home is always the best part of travel, Mayor! I'm taking a trip with my mom this week, actually. We're going to Columbia, MO, to the University of Missouri. Mom is presenting an engineering scholarship in memory of my dear father.
November 11, 2013 at 7:30 PM
Karen Dawkins said…
Oh Carol…. Ironic as it may seem coming from a travel writer, I agree with you completely! I DO love the adventure (and leave for Charlottesville, VA in about 2 hours), but the more I go, the more I realize it's all about the relationship, whether on the road with the people I meet or back home with my family!

I recognize my role as Jesus' ambassador when I'm on the road. I have a unique opportunity to show kindness to people I can't meet at home. I am blessed to be able to take a family member with me on many trips… Those car rides are ideal for intimate conversation (Kids are so open when you don't stare them down)!

BUT…. coming home…. That's where life really happens! It's nice to be here!
November 20, 2013 at 6:24 AM
Female in Motion said…
Thanks for your comment, Karen! My daughters and I had some of our best conversations in the car. And I like to think that we are all God's missionaries, wherever we are, from small towns to big cities, from one-on-one in the checkout line to the stage of a mega-church. Godspeed on your travels!
November 24, 2013 at 6:04 PM
Karen Dawkins said…
Oh those conversations in the car…. perhaps the most honest place in the world!

Happy Thanksgiving!
November 25, 2013 at 7:27 AM
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