Open Up Your Horizons

While hiking in central Oregon this week, I was on the coolest hike ever! (I’ll share more if you are interested!)  Perfect temperature, not too challenging of an incline, waterfalls and streams the whole way. And there, in a patch of shade, a little clump of snow. It seemed odd in the middle of the forest, wildflowers, and streams on a 72 degree day with a blue sky.  Of course, I recognized: this patch of snow never saw the sun’s rays and stayed crusted in the middle of summer.

We, too, can become crusted ice if we don’t expose ourselves to new people and opportunities that are all around us. We can get stuck in ruts with no adventure, no stretching out of our comfort zones. This might feel good to be in a routine, but it never grows us, nor puts us in a position to impact the world for good. We choose to take ourselves out of the action–and begin just taking up space on the planet.

I’d encourage you to intentionally plan a trip to someplace you haven’t been, to host a party with people you’ve admired from afar, to sign up to learn a skill on your bucket list. And get it started this week! Your brain will like the stimulation, your heart will soften, and you will get into the posture of a life-long learner.  It’s worth it.