The Lust to Wander

I just returned from a Wanderlust Festival with my daughter, sister, and niece as a “never before” girls trip coming together from opposite ends of the country to meet in Aspen, Colorado. Not ever having been to this type of festival, we were all uncertain about the Yoga centered experience and what it would be all about. We are all Yoga lovers and after reading more about it, we knew that there would be multiple events to choose from, everything from Yoga to hiking, running, meditation, white water rafting, and much, much more. Of course experiencing it all under the great majestic masterpiece of God’s work in the Rocky Mountains only added to the draw. The focus of the events primarily was on body, mind, and spirit challenging your own “self” to explore outwardly and inwardly your awareness and amazement that you are “one” with nature and the other community of wanderers. But it was so much more than that for me…

Amidst the army of adventure seekers in a shroud of cloudy, rain-filled skies creating this mystic playground, I found so many gifts that will sustain and encourage me in all my future days.

The gift of calm in the midst of a room full of Yogis, finding my temple of inner peace in Shavasana.

The gift of holding hands and drawing connecting strength from strangers in the midst of a valley of wild untouched flowers, each of us calling upon our own spiritual power to give thanks.

The gift of my own strong legs hiking for miles at an altitude above the clouds and reaching a summit that will be forever ingrained in my soul.

The gift of new deep appreciation for the trees, flowers, and air that we breathe.

The gift of finding a new poet that I love.

The gift of true awareness that a body of wanderers have common desires – to find joy in the stillness of the forest. To find fun in physical challenge. To walk away refreshed with new discovery. To find inner peace in your soul for the person that you are becoming on this journey.

All of these gifts and so much more which are too difficult to put into words. The experience is one that will remain with me, until the next time we wander.

The last few lines of Mary Oliver’s poem “When Death Comes” says this.

When it’s over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it’s over, I don’t want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened, or full of argument.

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.

To me, that poem says this. Go out and live your life fully. Don’t just visit the world peripherally. Go into it, exploring it all from the eye of it. Find your soul’s passion to love life and everything in it. Find your “True North”. Live your life fully in the discovery of joy, peace, amazement, and follow your lust to wander, no matter what your age.

Moonflower Bloom moments. Make them. Savor them. Treasure them.

Simply yours,
K

2 Comments

  • Kathy

    Yes, indeed…so many things made the trip so forever memorable…difficult to find the words to truly express the joy. Since returning, I’ve used “refreshed, rejuvenated, fulfilled, amazing” and so on. Plus a deeper understanding and appreciation for Yoga. To put it mildly, I had a great time. Love, Your Sis

Share a thought or a comment here!