Preparing for my next adventure

To Arizona to see friends Susan and Ken - starting at Phoenix and then to Sedona.  We will be at Sedona for my birthday.

This is a picture of the church built into the rock that is there.  I hope to go there, to walk around, maybe take a tour.  I don't know what. I am open - at least I hope I am.  As I am coming off of these last days of retreat, I already recognize how easy it is to close off to God and go back to business as usual.

This "retirement journey" has involved some traveling so far - a cruise, a trip to Cincinnati with Kacey, a book festival, a retreat and now this.  The planning of trips has seemed both intentional and haphazard - but what I continue to see is that every place has something life giving for me and it is often not what I expected.
 - on the cruise I found so much peace in the experiencing the expansiveness of sea and sky as I sat on the balcony
 - on the trip to Cincinnati, I really felt God was helping me to see how important FUN is in this life that we have been given
- At the book festival - I found myself stretching intellectually as I thought about all kinds of historical events - the women's movement in the 60's, the plantation life for slaves, the beginning of our country and the men who were the first leaders.  I remembered how much I like to LEARN.
 - This retreat has been a time of learning that now this transition into retirement is hardly the end - but me continuing on "my hero's journey" as I leave safety and go into unknown places as I "follow my bliss."
 - And now - what?  Of course, I never really know what is coming.  None of us do.  All I know is that taking a moment to reflect back it is so clear that time away often affords not only rest and novelty but new understandings and growth.

And my prayer for this day and these coming days is that I might be awake and open to receive.
Isn't that always what we need?