Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A New Perspective...And A Refreshing Get Away

Current Location: Chester, CA

Last week I wrote about how the summer was beginning to wear on me. What a difference a week can make! Several things have happened in the past week which have encouraged me to rethink and appreciate my own situation.

First of all, our neighbors left and the cabin has not been rented for the last 4 days. Our serenity has returned, although just for a short while. But we decided to take advantage of the peacefulness while we had it and spent one of our recent days off at home. Admittedly we felt a little invaded upon. But I have to remind myself that for the majority of our time here, we have this area to ourselves. No doubt, we are spoiled.

Secondly, I shifted my mindset a little. I reminded myselft that most of the campground guests are on a brief vacation from the stresses of their lives. This is their brief opportunity to let loose and relax. Because this may be their one chance in a long while for vacation, they want everything perfect. And in some cases, they don't know how to let go and end up sharing their stress with everyone who steps in their way. Whether it's a weekend or weeklong vacation, they eventually have to return to their overburdened lives, the hustle and bustle of the city, the heat of the valley, or whatever it may be. Me...I am lucky because once their vacation is up, I still get to stay here.

The third thing that happened which gave me pause was that I talked to one of my former coworkers. This was a person I worked with very closely; she was actually my client of sorts. Talking with her brought back so many familiar emotions. Things haven't changed much since I left. The same frustrations which caused me to want to leave still exist. The pressures and the anxieties have not gone away. It was a very strong reminder of why I am where I am now and how happy I am to be here!

The fourth thing was that one of our blogger friends, Ken and Nanette, abruptly and without warning, lost their workamper job for the summer. This was completely unexpected and left them in a bit of a financial pinch, but they were able to maintain a positive outlook and have already landed another opportunity for the remainder of the summer. Their whole experience reminded me to focus on the positives. Although I'm sure they had their moments of anger and feeling victimized, they did not express one negative word towards their former employers in their blog. If they can handle what could have been a crippling situation with such an attitude, certainly I can deal a little better with the occassional grouch. And if nothing else, it reminded me to be thankful for what I have because I really do like where we are and what we're doing.

Lastly, was a personal message from our friends and mentors, Howard and Linda Payne . They were working here last summer and Linda felt much the same way about the same time of year. She shared their blog entry written on July 22 last year, in which they were feeling the need to escape. I found it ironic that my post last week was written on July 19, almost exactly a year apart. Reading their entry helped validate my feelings - that it was ok to feel the need for a break. No matter how good something is, it eventually can become tiring.

Their escape was to Juniper Lake, a beautiful lake on the outskirts of Lassen Volcanic National Park. Because it is several miles up a sometimes rough gravel road and it is not accessible from the main road in the park, the lake does not tend to attract as many visitors. This has been on our list of places to go, so yesterday we decided that it was time. We took Linda's suggestion, packed a picnic and headed out for the day. We took our beach chairs and our books and enjoyed several hours of peace and quiet. There are several trailheads that take off from the lake, but because we had Hunter with us (dogs aren't allowed on National Park trails) we couldn't explore much. We did walk, or rather waded, along the lake shore, but mostly we just sat and read and marveled at the beauty. It was a really nice day and helped to refresh us for the coming week.

imagine some pictures here...I tried to upload a few but was experiencing technical difficulties. I will post them another time.

We are planning a longer get away for next "weekend". We don't have a specific destination in mind, but we're going to pack up the car and head for the coast, with plans to stay overnight somewhere. Once again, we'll have Hunter with us, so that limits us somewhat, but we're hoping to find some beaches and/or trails where dogs are allowed. This is the kind of road trip that we love to do. We just set off in a general direction and wander. I'm really looking forward to it.

6 comments:

  1. I cannot begin to tell you how encouraging your blog is to me with posts like today. I have huge job stress at present, tears, you name it. And I know, yes just sell the house and do it. Some logistics need to be accomplished first. HOwever, I really thank you because it brings everything into focus and spurs me on. So, I need to pause, reflect and yes, focus.

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  2. It must be something in the air or just the time of the year but I have been having a struggle lately with things around here in our campground. I too read Ken and Nanette's blog and felt so ungrateful for what I had. I then read Gail Durham's (Gail & TC's Travels) where she spoke so positively about her campground and taking a walk in the morning and smelling the smells of summer. I paused and thought...I haven't done that in quite awhile. No wonder my attitude got sour.
    Aren't we glad we have such great RVing friends to read (blogs) and get motivated again??

    I am glad you all got away and enjoyed your day. Can't wait to see the pics. :-)

    Mike & Gerri (happytrails)

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  3. thanks for staying open candid and transparent...

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  4. Connie, I'm glad you two have found a new way to look at rowdy campers. Where we live there are a few houses that get rented out to 'weekenders' or vacationers. I too become frustrated when they are up at all hours and we have to work the next day and consider them to be rude. Your post today has changed my way of thinking about what I considered to be discourteous before. They are here for a break from their reality and just want to have fun. I will try to keep that in mind and wear ear plugs to bed. ;)

    Day trips is a great idea to get away. We all need that every once in awhile.

    Take care,
    Connie

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  5. Just keep in mind that your job there is temporary and you could back at your old job stressing to the max. We can relate to the need to just get away. You guys are teaching us alot and don't even realize it! Thanks for the information and we look forward to crossing paths one day.

    Stay Safe

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  6. Excellent post.

    Kudos for being in the present moment and appreciating where you are in life. We all should learn to take a step back and realize how fourtunate we truly are regardless of where we are in our journey.

    "This is the kind of road trip that we love to do. We just set off in a general direction and wander."

    YES! That's what this lifestyle is all about. Having the freedom and the option to just GO!

    Be safe, relax and have FUN! :)

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