Steps taken for my pilgrimage

I met a woman many years ago, Julie, who shared that she was on a pilgrimage around Michigan to promote a camp she was creating - Morningstar.  Wearing a backpack, shorts, a billowing green shirt, boots and carrying a simple walking stick, she was gypsy'ish, almost hippy'ish, in appearance.  A great conversationalist, I enjoyed hearing her very expansive story.

I've thought of Julie, often, over the years, and wondered if her dream ever came to fruition; mainly, I was secretly envious of her as I also carried a dream to be on a pilgrimage to something or somewhere. Life and responsibilities intervened, and yet I never lost my desire to create my very own challenge with a cause, like Julie.

Then I got to thinking (occasionally a bad thing when excess time presents itself). Why not do something extreme and allow me to be the cause, purpose and subject?  My kids are gone, am retired (there has to be a better word for this - retirement almost says to me that at a certain age, we are tired...thinking on that), my husband and children are very supportive.  Bam!  A walking, cycling, spinning and elliptical adventure of 1500-2016 miles from September 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016, was birthed.

This adventure board of my long-long dream - my own challenge - A Pilgrimage to Celebrate My Life - my personal adventure, odyssey, saunter, trek.  The life coaching class I took gave us support as our adventure boards materialized, and am pleased with how mine speaks to what I plan to accomplish as it now stands, not only as a reminder, but a record, of my, gulp, endeavor.  

This year has been fraught with illness and weakness and deaths and turmoil - yet, also hope of actualizing who I am in the face of the secret unknown, to make me "better" so I can better serve and help others, unselfishly and willingly.  

Visualizing the end goal - 489 days to achieve 1500-2016 miles.  Gotta get my walking stick out and cleaned of spider webs.

 

I'm ready to stretch myself.