Wild and Precious Life

 Tell me, what is it

you plan to do

with your one wild

and precious life?

-Mary Oliver

44 trips around the sun, with the 45th soon to be completed. I've had many lessons learned and have a lifetime of more opportunities to grow. 

Lately, I've been reflecting on my life and the paths taken, roads thrown in front of me- some I chose to walk down and others suddenly appeared as cliffs or roads with unscalable walls. Bottom line is, from all the journeys, I have grown. 

Today, I am a mother of two children- ages 10 and almost 8. I am a partner to a traveling & hard-working spouse & a fur mama to our sweet dog. I'm a gardener. A huge adventure-addict and lover of travel and exploring. A sister, daughter, friend. And, I am happy to say I am entering wilderness work again- this time not as a wilderness guide, but as one who sits in circles and listens. One who witnesses the stories told by others and holds space. I dream of helping others to see their light and to celebrate. 

For so many of my years, I looked around and wondered where I 'fit' into things. I worked various jobs, lived in different places, volunteered, and honestly- some of what I spent time doing and caring about really wasn't what was calling my heart, but I kept busy and was "doing".

I lived in suburbia, lived in the mountains, live in the high-desert, and also lived in my sleeping bag for months upon end, traveling all over and dreaming big... and now, I live in a rural river valley, fifteen minutes from a small town, near the Columbia River Gorge.

I am happy to say, actually ecstatic to yell that I am doing what calls my heart today. Number one job- being Mama Bear. Sure, it's hard to balance life at times and things get messy, uncomfortable, and just down right annoying- but on the flipside- life gets absolutely amazing, and freeing, and inspiring at the same time. The fears and 'shouldn'ts' that I once hear are slipping away.

This Mama Bear has big dreams. I mean B I G. I will be the woman who lies on her deathbed in old age (hopefully when I'm really old!) who feels she's listened to the call of the universe and her heart. 

I've decided to not ask 'why' anymore, but rather ask myself 'why not?'. 

Just today I met with a dear friend to talk about our visions we have for a rite of passage program in our area. The universe is speaking and more shall be revealed this year, no doubt. I am filled with gratitude for the strong friendships in my life. The friends who go to those dark places with me and I with them. The friends who laugh while sitting at a campfire and we cannot even figure out why we are laughing.

Right now, I know that this wild and precious life of mine is indeed full of challenges and celebrations. I will continue to travel through the seasons... childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and back again... and someday soon- I will enter into elderhood. 

As I stand on this earth and enter my 45th trip, I vow to grab this one and precious life and listen to what is calling me. ❤

“And though she be little, she is fierce.”

(Found this unpublished post from over a year ago)

An interview with Miss Sierra Grace...

*  What makes you happy? 

Dancing, music, and skiing

*  If you could do anything right now, what would you do?

There are so many good things! Dance, music, and skiing!

*  What do you look forward to when you wake up?

I look forward to music and dance on Wednesdays & on Thursdays.  I also look forward to Treesong.

*  If you could grow anything in the yard, what would it be?

Strawberries. The ones we grow are just sooooo good!

*  What makes you feel brave?

Skiing because if I go down a steep hill, or if I'm really close to falling, I can still ski without falling.

*  What makes you feel loved?

When I'm with my family. 

*  How do you show people you care?

Do kind things for them.

*  What does it feel like when I hug you?

L O V E. (Puts her hands out in a big circle and spells the word 'love')

*  If your stuffed animals could talk, what would they say?

They would say, "How are you Sierra? What would you like to do today?" It would just be straight up creepy!"

*  If you could give $100 to a charity, which would you choose?

Best Friends Animal Society

*  If you wrote a book, what would it be about?

Dance

*  If you could ask a wild animal any question, what would you ask?

I would ask a cheetah why they run so fast.

*  What makes you feel energized? 

Dancing, but only on Wednesdays. On Thursdays I am tired!

*  What are some of the best things about nature?

I like climbing trees.

*  You're a photographer for a day, what would you take pictures of?

Birds

*  What's a memory that makes you happy?

Our surprise trip to Legoland

*  What one thing do you do now that you need an adult for but would like to try to do all by yourself?

Climbing trees. I just need a little help getting up.

*  If you had to give everyone in the family new names, what would they be?

Mom- Su Su

Dad- Stevie

Alex- Brussel Sprout

Willow- Pussy Willow

*  What would you do if you made the rules at home?

I would make it so you, Mom, would have to pick up for us.

*  Tell me something about you that you think I might not know.

I am scared of wasps because I don't like them when they chase me. 
Once I got one in my hair!

*  What is something you think I want for you in life?

You always say I should do things that make my heart happy!