From Frailty To Strength

Today I'm still on a natural high from our annual Thanksgiving trek to the Texas Hill Country, a treasured tradition we planted twenty-one years ago.

Exploring with the family in the great outdoors makes my heart happy.

Here's a Mindful Minute so that you can join us.

The boys managed to make a seesaw from a fallen tree ...

while we enjoyed nature's beauty on and off the beaten trail.

John caught a few bass and we spied some deceptively beautiful foliage.

At Jacob's suggestion, we decided to try somewhere new this year, hiking at Government Canyon State Park. Some of the trails were closed waiting for the high waters to recede; disappointed that we weren't going to get to see the dinosaur tracks this time, we forged ahead into the Backcountry Trail.

A mile or so in after some really rocky terrain without the proper gear like, say, hiking boots and a camel back, I started to feel like it might be a good idea to turn back. Instead of stopping to verbalize my hesitation, however, I talked myself in to continuing on. It has to get easier, I told myself; besides, I am not a quitter.

So we took a few breaks, then forged up, up, and away. With every step, I questioned continuing on while my body and my brain were having a heated debate about the wisdom of going the distance to finish strong. Approaching mile five, I was fighting back tears. How is this even enjoyable, I wondered, if I'm working so hard to stay stable and not to fall down that I can't even look up to savor the scenery? It was such a conflict for someone not prone to quitting, ever.
Is it okay to admit that I've gone as far as I can go for today?

When my son Jacob saw me struggling, he and Kaitlyn offered to run ahead and bring our car as close to us as they could get; when they realized we still had almost two miles of rocky road to go, they called the ranger station and requested a ride for their mom, who couldn't quite make the last mile and a half. Despite being embarrassed at not being able to finish, the sound of that Gator coming around the bend was music to this hurting hiker's ears (and feet!).

Vulnerability, my one word for 2018,

and an opportunity to strengthen that muscle,

to put it into practice.

A chance to show my children that

there's a special sort of strength in weakness.

A chance to show myself that

accepting and embracing

my frailty doesn't get to bring me shame or make me less than,

even if it felt like that at that moment in time.

In situations like these, that put our character to the test,

maybe knowing what we need when we need it,

and asking for help even if we'd rather keep on hurting,

is exactly how we gain the momentum and grit to go on.

Another important life lesson in the books;
how might it apply to situations on the trail with our students?

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While we were away, my guest post went live at the Character Strong blog; click the image below to read The 3 Ms of Emotional Regulation for tips on helping children monitor, move through, and manage their feelings.