Lessons From The Mountains

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 Peaceful. Breathtaking. Relaxing. Stunning. Beautiful. Appreciative. These are just a few words I would use to describe my recent trip to the mountains. One of my cousins and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Massanutten, Virginia not long ago. It was our first time visiting Massanutten and it definitely won't be our last. In fact, it was my first time ever visiting the mountains on a vacation! I loved every minute of it! The closer we got to our destination, the more excited we became. The vacation was much needed to reset, refocus, readjust and be still. It was also a great reminder to enjoy life and be thankful for the opportunities that come my way to do so. As I was in the mountains, I learned a lot of lessons and I want to share some of them with you below: 

1. Soak up every minute of every day. It is important to be present and enjoy every minute life brings. The mountains were so beautiful and I didn't want to miss seeing anything! From sightseeing to movies to shopping to laughs, we never had a dull moment. We embraced every opportunity to learn and have fun!

2. Appreciate and spend time with your loved ones who are still here with you. In losing lots of my loved ones over time, I learned this lesson early on in my life, but the trip reminded me once again. Spending time with my cousin was the best! It was the first vacation I had taken since my Mom passed. I did have bittersweet moments thinking about how she wouldn't see me off on my trip and wouldn't be home when I got back. I wasn't able to tell her about my trip, but I did tell my brother about it. But at the same time, I thought about how she would have been proud of me navigating the mountains with my cousin. Several times, her and I talked about my Mom. One time, I said something my Mom would have said. My cousin said you sound just like her and then we had a good laugh. I thought about how my Mom and Dad both would have loved it there as neither one of them got a chance to visit there. While we were on the trip, my cousin and I checked in with loved ones back at home every day. We never know when it will be our last time, so every moment needs to be used wisely.

3. Take lots of pictures! Now I know, for some of you, this may be stepping out of your comfort zone. Try it sometime though. Take pictures of your loved ones and the scenery around you. You don't always have to go to the mountains to take pictures as there are opportunities all around us. It doesn't take much for my cousin and I to take pictures. Before we got to our hotel, we had stopped to take pictures. A whole photoshoot😀! We didn't waste no time! You should have seen us. We were like children at Christmas time- I loved it! The fall leaves changing was absolutely beautiful. We were in a new place and wanted to capture it all. I will be printing pictures off my phone real soon!

4. Try new things. It doesn't matter how big or small it may seem. A small step out of your comfort zone is better than no step forward at all. Going to a new place itself was a win for me! Then, while I was there, I had new experiences, saw new sights, and went to new stores and restaurants. It felt good to do that and I will do that more often.

5. Be still. Reset and refocus. This is one I am constantly working on and have to remind myself of often. We don't always have to be doing something. It's okay to sit still. I remember that the Saturday we were there it rained, so we stayed in more. As I was relaxing in our hotel room, I told her that I don't do this much. I definitely need to be still more. It is important that our bodies get rest and refuel. Our bodies were created to get rest and not always be on the move. There is a time to do each and there needs to be a balance of the two. Being still was also so peaceful and serene. It was perfect!

Maybe you can't visit the mountains or go on a vacation soon. That's okay. You can still embrace new opportunities. You can still try new things. You can still be appreciative of who and what you have in your life. You see, a lovely gem tucked away in Virginia called Massanutten was just what I needed to reignite my faith and focus. I am forever grateful. Here's to new beginnings 😀!!

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