Life Needs Living

I had my epiphany after all. We met my aunt and cousin in Roseville for a brief, yet fun escape from routine. We joked about how I am "my own worst enemy" since I should have been resting at home. They are right, of course. I should have been resting at home.

Yet. Yet, I was exactly where I needed to be. Laughing. Engaging. Creating memories.

Being around stories that are not about managing symptoms, or resting, or getting better was refreshing. Living inside the CMT world gets exhausting. Living with any chronic illness is a full time job. And we all need breaks :)

The sun shone bright and clear, ending a long cold snap. We decided a family adventure was needed. Away to the mountains! We drove up Highway 20 to the snow. The kids lobbed snowballs at each other's backs and took off hats and jackets to let the winter sun kiss their skin. It was warm. And beautiful!

It's tricky to see, but a big afternoon moon shone in the sky over Donner Lake. We stopped at every look-out to admire the views. Most trips, we don't take the time for sightseeing. We have places to go and people to meet. So this day was fun to just wander and tell the kids, "We don't know," when they asked about plans.

We found a great sushi restaurant called The Drunken Monkey. They even had noodles for Ian. Again, the sun streaming through the windows was sweet and strong.

The minute that sun went down, though, brrr! The chill air nipped at us. Luckily Ian had his Bear Jacket to keep him toasty. We went to downtown Truckee and actually enjoyed an ice cream treat. The white lights shone in trees and the moon glazed the snow silver on the mountains. So pretty.

The day trips are perfect because we come home around bedtime and I get my own space and my own comforts. I rest well. The next day I kept a clear schedule so I could rest (ha).

They give me inspiration, these little trips. Laughing and playing makes all of the hard work of healing a little easier.

Life is balance. And yes, I need to manage a wild garden of symptoms with CMT. And yes, I need to make rest and healing a priority. But life is not meant for easy living all of the time. I need adventure along with the quiet downtime.

If only I didn't pay for adventures with flare ups :). But that's another post. For now... Wishing you fun adventures today!