{ i n s p o }

Last week I was moved to watery eyes & sniffles while reading a fellow friend & blogger’s most recent entry.
[elysesexpressions.wordpress.com check her out!]

I don’t want to spoil anything & I would encourage all to take in her beautiful words for themselves as she begins a new journey “writing herself alive”. She describes a lack of feeling & inspiration as her motive for taking an online class that includes this 30 day assignment.

Assignment 1: a letter to my decade younger self.

While this entry moved me it also inspired me to reflect on what I would say to my younger self. Although I’m thankful for my experiences & growing moments, there are a few “two cents’ worth” that may have aided me or just caused me to smile in encouragement.

[ 17 year old Junebug:

You are a beautiful being with so much heart & soul. You’re officially in California, on your own & unsure of what’s next but from this moment forward I want you to know & remember….

You are f e a r l e s s: don’t be afraid to jump, leap or of the growing pains that come with it.
You are c o n f i d e n t: don’t doubt the gifts, spirit & quirks God bestowed with intention when he created YOU.

You don’t need to rush. Don’t be afraid to live in the grey at times & trust the season you are in. Everything that is meant for you will come to you if only you will trust the plan God has in motion, be thankful for the journey & have discernment when navigating your route.

As you navigate your way keep in mind that it is essential to learn when to walk a w a y from what is not good & how to walk t o w a r d what galvanizes the best in you.

When & if people inquire about your vagabond & wildflower ways don’t become apprehensive of your path. Everyone takes a different route & yours specifically is piecing together a testimony — you’ll see.

At last, as you make your voyage & find yourself among favorable & hindering circumstances alike don’t lose your fire, keep dancing & hold tight to your silliness.

To my decade younger self: thank you for being you. Enjoy the journey. ]

A letter to myself then; a reminder to myself now.

{ Elyse, thank you for providing inspiration. My heart is happy to see your God given art unfold & come alive. }

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Wander•Lost

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“Ok, I’m moving here.”
My journeying inspiration: Mexico.

No doubt, the accommodations were amazing but more than anything this adventure brought light to the magic of getting lost in other cultures & how much I can learn from those who are native to a different corner of the world than I. Traveling to Mexico has prompted a mini goal to get my Spanish speaking on, reminded me just how awe-inspiring God created the world and brought cue to how much more I need and want to see of it.

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While in Quantana Roo we had the opportunity of jumping on a private Catamaran. (whaaaa?! yes.) We coasted a couple hours to the reef [where we snorkeled], caught a dinghy to the beach and grabbed a Sol from the locals; all before hiking up to the Tulum Ruins.

The Tulum [walled city] Ruins of the Maya were a sight and even more, a piece of history. The mystery behind the disappearance of the Mayans is intriguing; all theories of their disappearance seem reasonable to me.

Although snorkeling gave me a bit of anxiety, I knew I would regret not soaking in the moment and braving it. Therefore, I held a starfish, saw a stingray & felt exhilarated all at once! [With salt water in my nose, in my eyes & was intentionally focused on my breathing since I was a panicked spaz.]

All in all, WORTH IT peeps.

It’s funny how even among the amazing culture & views it still feels too good to be home. Maybe moving to another country isn’t in the cards for me but rather a travel visa for my vagabond bones.

Three months seems just long enough to live, laugh, learn & explore different territory before retreating “home sweet home” once more.

#Wanderlust.
#Vagabond.
#Seeker.
#InPursuit.

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Celebrate Me Home…

This is my favorite time of the year & my first holiday season back in Kansas from my stint in Texas; chalking up another journey of “self discovery”.

Five years ago I would have laughed in the face of anyone who told me I would ever reside in Kansas once more; and this time, it’s by choice.

My journey in Texas collected miles & I missed my family & loved ones more & more. I was absent from graduations, birthdays, reunions; the absence from simpler day-to-day excursions was just as annoying.

Seeing as this wasn’t the first time I packed my car & went vagabond, I knew these yearnings for home were coming from a different place.

Maybe a “grown” place.
A “seen enough” place.
To some, a “quitter” place.
But in fact, a place of “growth”was ensuing.

A place where I had realized that my geographical whereabouts do not define me; nor does my status, things of monetary value or the job that I possess. That my spirit is not hindered or altered by my surroundings but by my own mindset, insecurities & inhibitions.

That because He is within me I am able to be the vessel He has created me to be; present & purposeful, no matter where I am.

The change I was once praying for, in fact, would be a change of my own heart.

It took nearly a year of patience & courage but I was able to wave goodbye to Texas knowing that my growing pains lead to growth that lead me home.

#GratefulHeart.
#KansasChristmas.
#CelebrateMeHome.

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