Fresh Eyes
The reset appears to be complete. As I imagined in my last dispatch, travel has provided me a running start to once again embrace my life with joy. The sludge appears to have been cleared from my brain and my body and I’m brimming with energy and new ideas.
This week I’m deviating from my standard format to share some highlights with you.
Where I went
London
Amsterdam (including a day trip to Zaanse Schans)
Some of the things I did
Soaked in the ambience
Rode hop-on hop-off buses
Ate fabulous meals
Went to the theater
Walked and walked
Smiled and laughed a lot
My favorites
London: Tea at Brown’s Hotel (the oldest continuously operating hotel in London), reputed to be a favorite of Queen Victoria
Amsterdam: A canal cruise on a perfect, spectacular afternoon
What made a good trip a great one
A fabulously compatible, cherished traveling companion
Sunshine and moderate temperatures every single day
Refusing to adhere to a checklist
Flexibility in general
Knowing that the CWP and the little monster were keeping each other company in my absence
A complete social media and news blackout
While I know the trip is largely responsible for my new outlook and energy surge, I’m not discounting the contribution of the social media/news blackout, which I’ve continued since my return. It’s difficult not to be aware of the news just by virtue of owning a phone or logging on to my computer, but I found such relief from the lack of repetition and churning of outrage. Because I enjoy keeping up with far flung friends and a few art accounts, I will still check out Instagram occasionally, but mindless scrolling has been removed from my routine. I’m also recalibrating my daily routine to make this easier to implement as I’d fallen into a sinkhole of a rut.
Maybe it’s not a coincidence that this week marks the first anniversary of the publication of Rising. Because I’m once again leaving those ashes behind and filled with gratitude for all of this sparkly pageant.
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Thanks for reading!
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