Day 6: Where do you “get lost”?
We know you’re Wonder Woman, but everyone needs a break sometime! When the go, go turns into no, no! Is there a place you go to tune it all out? Do you lose yourself on a hike in your local regional park or do you run until street names are unrecognizable?
The Challenge: Wherever it may be, tell us about this oasis that keeps you sane. Who knows? You might just inspire someone else to find their own private getaway. Submit your story and/or a picture of your favorite spot and you could win a limited edition Power of 9 Tee and Title Nine water Bottle. Who says getting lost is a bad thing? Don’t wait, get entered>
*Prize awarded based on availability – a substitute prize of equal or greater value may be awarded.
When I want to get lost, I head to the White Mountains of NH with a stop at the NEFFA beach on Squam Lake first. One of the best summers of my life was spent caretaking for the SLA on Squam – trail maintenance and checking on campers was as much fun as it was work. Although it was over a decade ago, I can still close my eyes and feel the breeze and sun on my skin as I crossed the lake in the Boston Whaler – 5 Finger Point had the best jumping rock! Nothing beats a midnight skinny dip in the cool waters of Squam – summer night air filled with the lonely call of a loon and waves lapping against the darkened shore – a hint of smoke from the campfire drifting on the breeze. A morning hike up nearby Mt. Mooselauke or the Garfield – Liberty – Lafayette ridge trail completed the feeling that all was right with the world. I’d add more, but there’s somewhere I need to be right now… See you outside!
When it time for me to get lost, I take my kayak out to any number of local lakes. Sunrise is the time of day I enjoy paddling. It quiet before the skiers get out. Just me and some people fishing. A great way to clear the mind and get ready for whatever the day is going to bring me. And great exercise too.
Congratulations, Laura! You’re our winner for “Where Do You Get Lost?” 🙂 We loved your picture and were totally captured by the serenity of your getaway. Enjoy your Power of 9 Tee and Water Bottle! 🙂
I get lost with my children. I grew up in an abusive household and vowed my children would never have to live through what I lived through. I am currently on our 3rd summer of doing what we call “the best summer ever”. Today we are focusing on random acts of kindness. Yesterday we made summer journals to record our summer memories (we do this every year). Ever year, I try to encourage their love of nature, simple things, gardening and doing for others. We also plan day trips: hiking, geocaching, biking, etc. This is my time to reconnect with my children and to get to know them without all the hustle and bustle of the day to day school, homework, activities, etc.
I get lost on long walks with our dog. The route may vary. Most often he takes me on the urban bike trails of Seattle. He’s lost in sights and smells, the hope of catching a squirrel and I get to explore the city. Many parts of our walks don’t even feel as if we’re in the city at all. It’s like a walk in the woods with spots I can stop for coffee.
When I want to get away, I head to Austin for a run around Townlake or an early morning run near the Capitol. In college, the latter was my favorite because through the vents, you could smell breakfast usually bacon or sausage, which would make me hungry. But also, it was early enough to where the bats were out and I was running in the dim light of street lights. I’d wave to the state policeman/woman at the entrance and either turn around or go down Congress. It’s a run that I miss greatly.
When I want to “get lost” I go driving in my Jeep with my husband. We don’t have to have a destination but we tend to get out of town and find something beautiful. Sometimes we ride in silence and sometimes we have the best talks, ever. It’s so relaxing to just drive and not think about our list of choirs, what we need to do tomorrow or any other expectation – just drive. If we see a cool place to stop we will but for the most part we drive to unwind. It feels like a mini-vacation. It’s very healing.
this is a photo of our jeep….I tried to attach it before but I guess it didn’t work. sorry.
Well, it’s no place special…. I get lost every time I play soccer, which I’ve recently increased to 3x per week! I work full time during the day and my husband works full time swing shift – we have 3 kids. So, getting away to “get lost” is not too practicle.
I grew up playing soccer since I was 5 years old and while Title IX was passed 2 years before I was born, I still had to play soccer as the only girl on the boys team in high school. I played first-string as a sweeper and held my own.
I’ve continued to play all these years and every time the whistle is blown at the start of the game, I get lost… lost in the beauty of the game that I passionately love and respect. Lost in focusing on each moment, each pass, each move; lost in communicating with each teammate non-verbally and knowing exactly what each other is saying; lost in how this all meshes together in a strategy to achieve a common goal – to play our best & hardest and to win the game.
Whether I’ve had someone yell at me that day at work (I’m an Environmental Compliance Inspector) or I’m heading off to my game as I leave the house of sometimes screaming kids, once I’m on the field and that whistle blows, I am totally lost in the moment of playing the game.
And I don’t have a picture to post for that because all soccer fields and all teams I am on essentially provide the same beautiful oasis in the middle of my suburban life. 🙂
When I need to get away or get lost, it usually is an indicator that I need to get past myself and focus on someone else. Usually that happens in my family, neighborhood, church or at work with my little patients with special needs. One of my favorite opportunities to focus on others is on missions trips. Below is a picture from a few weeks ago in Haiti. This sick little girl in the pink dress waited ALL day to be treated. She was very patient, happy and quite smiley, especially when taught how to blow bubbles, had her ripped dress mended and was able to snack on a Cliff bar.. Such huge blessings in the simplest of things. =) Love it.