I'm goin' to Trujillo in my mind

Generally speaking, I would say my mind drifts back to Peru and my experiences there almost once a day. What a profound impact that special place and those precious people have had on my heart! It took a little while to adjust back to "American standards", but I have to say, it's not too difficult to get sucked back into going 90 miles an hour, overcommitting, and buying things you don't need. I've felt this blog coming on for awhile, but literally "have been so busy"...I hate that excuse. It's so overused and keeps you from really giving 100% to all the "yes's" in your lives that you want to commit to. The ability to stop, breathe, blog, reflect,etc, was not something I had to think about in Peru; there was way more free time than I almost knew what to do with. Here, it's a little different: juggling four different kinds of work I enjoy, spending time with family and friends, training for a 1/2 marathon, ensuring my dog gets her walks, volunteering, and all the other daily happenings. If I don't intentionally stop and make time, I will get sucked up like I used to pre-Peru. Just having this awareness is powerful. As an occupational therapist, I'm constantly telling my patients to stop activities in the middle, before they are finished, to breathe, take a break, conserve their energy. I realized I can apply my own teaching to myself and my life! How often do I stop and do that? To breathe in some fresh air, to take a nice run under a sherbet-colored sky, to be truly present during conversations without checking your cell phone or even texting during it! I'm GUILTY. However, we have the power over our own choices and decisions. Last week, I made a conscious choice to cancel a previously-planned event with two friends because I desperately saw my dire need to stop before crashing and burning. I'm starting to listen to both my body and soul and hear the whispers of God I usually can't hear because I am moving at the speed of light. The world is too loud. Take a moment and just be still in the silence. At first, it may be awkward. We feel the need to fill it with radio, noise, texting, tv. But just for a minute- be still and know of God's presence and love for you.


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Location:St. Louis, MO