these feet...

Over the past three months, these feet have tromped all over VA, NJ, CO, WY, ME, and NM. They've hiked on trails and boardwalks, and through mountains, streams, and canyons. They've explored cities, climbed ladders, and pedaled bicycles. They've trekked through 8 airports, sat restlessly on 10 flights, and slept in 10 different beds...

As I was sitting on a plane flying home from New Mexico yesterday, I had images of all the places Larry and I have traveled to over the past year and a half flashing through my brain: Oahu, Maui, Smith Island, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Jersey, Colorado, Wyoming, Maine, New Mexico... My mind was zipping all over the USA as hundreds of mental photos flew through my head. They say pictures of your life flash before your eyes before you die, and if this is what I'll see, I'll know that at least I experienced life to the fullest in 2013-14. But I'm not sure where I am right now...

It seems like just yesterday that it was June, and I was anticipating the beginning of summer. I was looking forward to eating dinner on our back porch, sweet corn, cold beers, lazy weekends, and perhaps a trip to the beach. And then I was whisked across the map via airplane: DCA>DEN>DCA, DCA>ORD>JAC>DEN>IAD, DCA>BGR>DCA, BWI>ABQ>BWI. And now suddenly you're telling me it's October?! I feel a bit like I was blindfolded, spun around, and placed stumbling and dizzy in the middle of the U.S. map. Where am I today? I've been to the mountains, the desert, the city, the coast, the forest. I've slept in secluded cabins and fancy hotel rooms. That feeling of waking up in an unfamiliar bed and taking a few seconds to figure out where I am is all too familiar right now. I'm feeling a bit discombobulated.

I'm not the kind of person who gets homesick. I prefer to be out in the world exploring and adventuring and trying new things. At home, I fall into ruts and bad habits and the routine of daily life wears me down and zaps my energy, motivation, and attitude. That's not to say I don't miss things in Virginia when we're away: my dogs, our friends and family, and after spending several nights sleeping in a Motel 6 bed with a pillow that was the approximate size and thickness of a piece of kleenex, I definitely appreciate our plush king-sized bed at home.

So while I'm not quite sure how to transition back into life at home, after months of scheduling one last minute trip after another, and hours spent on planes and in airports, I think I'm finally ready to be here for a while. And after visiting the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and the incredible Canyon Road in Santa Fe, I feel more artistically inspired than I've been in years. I need to act on that before it disappears! Within a week, I'll probably be itching for adventure again, but right now I can say that I don't want to see the inside of another airplane until 2015.

So good job, feet. You've taken me far this year. I've pushed you to walk further and climb higher than you ever have before. And you've allowed me to explore and interact with new environments and people all over the country. You've taken me to see things that inspire me artistically - the natural world, the architecture of different regions of the U.S., the work of other artists. You've treated me well, feet, but I think it's time to put you up for a bit. At least until next week...