The Joy is in the Journey

It seems a lifetime ago that we were in the cockpit of a KC-10 flying from Travis AFB to South Carolina as we began our trek to the United Kingdom. As always, it had been a crazy time getting out of town and so getting to ride with the pilots for the entire flight across the United States was such a beautiful gift to me to as we began our sabbatical this fall. We love this mode of travel because it is unpredictable and out of our control and to truly receive the fullest benefit from it we  
must begin the process of relinquishing our own agendas so we can be free to truly enjoy the joy that is this journey.

Our sabbaticals have always been an opportunity in which we take the time to pull back from the busyness of life and open ourselves to a perspective that deepens and refines who we are. By sheer definition, we are learning something each and every time we indulge in this beautiful ritual and I find I have become both enamored and dependent on it. We happen to be blessed that in this season of our lives as we are able to do it in the beauty and solitude of long distance walking. Walking is akin to prayer for me and so I thrive on it. It is also a time for Tom and I to have some time together and savor moments that feel as if we have them for a lifetime instead of just the weeks or months and season that they really are. It is the beginning of a process I call retrospect…taking time to reflect on what is happening or has happened and allow myself to be made new by shedding the complacent parts of who I am and being open to the vulnerability and growth of who I can become. It is always a deeply spiritual journey and one I pray is from a perspective greater than mine. I found the words to a favorite song of mine lingering in my mind as this time drew near and I was excited for what was ahead…


Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander…

I find I am craving depth, longing to go deeper and becoming intentional in my personal relationships with both my Creator and those He has given me to love. I do not need to do a lot of important things in this season, I am longing to do the significant ones. I felt a stirring in my heart to see my father for his birthday this year. I had not seen him for quite some time and, quite honestly, the timing for this trip was a bit inconvenient. We had planned our travels abroad with a specific date in mind which is something we rarely do. We love the spontaneity of our travels and deadlines can add pressures we do not want or need. We had the numerous ‘emergencies’ around here before we left which added to our fatigue and stress. It felt incredibly overwhelming to leave but also incredibly right at the same time. I arranged a flight and quickly called and my dad’s wife to let her know I was coming. It was to be a surprise. I called my sister along the way and she agreed to come out also. My relationship with my father is multifaceted and while not always easy, it is one that I have come to understand and love over the years. It was not until I was an adult that I could begin to understand an adult perspective of marriage and divorce. I was a young, vulnerable, teenage girl during that time of transition and while that season in my life was very difficult, it was the impetus of my formative process and without that season I do not believe I would be the woman I am today. Not an easy process, but, to me, one I would not change. While parts of it were intensely hard, it was also an incredibly beautiful visit and it evoked deep feelings of compassion, empathy, and love for my family. I never go astray when these feelings are brought up to the forefront of who I am. It was a most memorable time and I will always cherish it. Did I mention I pricked myself with a vine while doing yard work with my dad… 

To say the course of events that were to follow were crazy would be an understatement. The details are too long to enumerate but suffice to say the small prick of my skin developed into an autoimmune mediated response and subsequent infections of my skin. Our trip changed in a moment as we were grounded in Spain with daily medical appointments and hospital visits. Many things happened that we had not expected, planned, or wanted but when I think of it today I could not imagine a better way in which these events could play out. We were cared for by a wonderful physician and every physical need met without difficulty on our part. The staff and our friends on the Naval Base loved and looked after us as if we were family. Our ride home was comfortable and expedient and I appreciated the depth and tenderness of care Tom gave me during this period of vulnerability.


Take me deeper than than these feet could ever wander... 

 My prayer…fully answered! Just not the way I had planned or  expected. I have to admit, I love it 

when  my prayers are answered predictably and in beautiful and comfortable ways. Walking along the English countryside, staying at lovely farmhouses while enjoying the beauty of nature and adventure, then celebrating Tom’s birthday with our friends in London would have been my plan and preference if asked. Take me deeper...Our journey was just another way to go deeper, fully dependent upon His care and guidance and cleaving deeply to each other... than my feet could ever wander. It was what I had asked for...




We are home now. Resting as the season changes to my beloved fall. Waiting for the temperature to dip a little more so we can light a fire in our fireplace, watching the leaves begin to change to the beautiful hues of red, orange and gold, wanting to bake bread, cook soup, and spend time with you. Beginning to think of our next adventure but for now, just savoring the beauty and joy that was in this journey...

You are loved...

A Gentlemen's Walk

One of the most outstanding gifts we receive while on our travels are the friends we make along the way. We met a lovely couple from Pacific Grove while we were walking along the Portuguese Way and to this day they have become one of our favorites. Barbara and Terence Zito are definitely like minded travelers and so when we heard that they were going to the Cotswold in the UK we thought we should check this out. We became enamored by the English countryside (we were also watching Downtown Abby) and we decided that we would branch out try some walks in this area. We love Spain and had a few moments in which we felt as if we were betraying her but decided we could handle the change of venue.

We consulted with a few of our friends in the UK and came up with a list of three walks. The Coast to Coast walk which begins in St Bees on the Irish Sea and ends at the North Sea in Robin Hoods Bay. From there we had planned to walk along Cornwall on the Southwestern coast and then finish up with a walk through the Cotswold. If we were so inclined we might finish up with a short holiday London. 

These are much different walks than our traditional Spanish walks in that we will actually stay in some beautiful old English Victorian homes and small country estates. 'Upon arrival we will be served cream scones and a pot of tea' which I think will make my gentleman of a husband very happy. And, while I may long for a glass of wine, a piece of fresh baked bread, and a good goat cheese drizzled with olive oil, I can think of no better way to begin the celebration of Tom's Diamond Year, the 75th anniversary of his birth in this lovely setting! 

So with his loafers and a sweater vest packed we are off on another adventure. We are currently in South Carolina awaiting a flight eastward. Remembering always that the joy is in the journey...

Cheerio and Buen Camino...You are loved.