There are No Words

Today is Friday of the second week of Advent.  I am Catholic and try to prepare for Christmas by reading daily readings, reflections and prayers.  Today's daily action asked me to "read Psalm 23 slowly, letting the words stir my heart and convey God's nearness."  Given the tragedy that happened today in Connecticut, of which I have no words, I wanted to share this psalm with you.  I believe it offers words of support and I hope it offers you the comfort it did for me when processing the events of today, regardless of your personal creed or feelings on religion.

My prayer is that these words can rain down upon all those impacted by this senseless act.  And that the choirs of angels are embracing those that lost their lives.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.  
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Our Spice Island Adventure

I am bit behind.  I mean, hello, we are in DECEMBER!  I don't know how that happened.  Now I find myself thinking ahead to the impending holiday season, about what is ahead in 2013 and finishing up my work year strong.  I am feeling a tad bit frazzled.  Truth be told, I am dreaming of a few days to just relax and slow down.  When I catch myself thinking of such things, past vacations come to mind.  That is what I love about traveling in general - the ability to call upon exciting explorations, adventures and, heck, even some good ol' R&R!

Those fond thoughts lead me to this post...earlier in the year Nick and I were extremely fortunate to visit one of our dream destinations...Grenada.  Due to the wonder that is the Internet, we were able to score a fantastic deal!  Thank you TravelZoo!  Sometimes, when you really want and hope to visit somewhere waiting around for a good deal is tough.  However, our patience paid off and allowed us to experience this wonderful, beautiful, spiritual place.  Here's a little bit about Grenada -

The state of Grenada is a three-island independent nation of the British Commonwealth - islands
include Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique - which are located at the southern end of the Windward Islands in the eastern Caribbean.  Grenada has a rich history and culture.  The people are extremely open, kind and very willing to share their insights, tips and history.   It is a tapestry of many cultures who have overtime melded into the uniquely special place that is Grenada.

In case you might be interested in having your own adventure in the Spice Island - here are a few words about travel logistics:

• Information is not overly available - you have to dig for it a little bit.  I found most travel books only included a few pages of basic info.  I found some travel blogs about personal experiences traveling in Grenada helpful as well as Trip Advisor and the national tourism board's website.  

• Flight options are not abundant so you need to be flexible.  
• There are many choices and types of lodging available.  We stayed at LaSource, located near the airport at the tip of the island.  It was an all-inclusive that was a mind-body-soul type of place.  Meaning that there were plentiful healthy food options, many activities including Tai Chi, yoga, daily morning hikes, short par-3 golf course and more ("typical" all-inclusive activities were also available).  Last but certainly not least was the daily spa treatment included with your stay.  My only caution is if you stay at an all-inclusive it is sometimes difficult to leave.  I know first hand because you are thinking, "well we paid for these meals or activities, etc"...but on Grenada you want to get out and explore.  It's important that you do.  Thankfully, staff at LaSource made it extremely easy to book activities off-site as we didn't prebook prior to arrival.  Just something to be mindful of when selecting your accommodations.  

• Seek out a traditional menu.  Agriculture is an important industry and there are many things you really should try.  Our favorites included the locally grown chocolate, soursop (I loved soursop soup) and of course the spices!  
• If you are considering traveling to Grenada and want to discuss with a fellow traveler, feel free to contact me.  I'll be happy to answer questions and share any info/feedback.  

Travel Reflections: Dreary Weather & Good Memories

It’s a dreary, misting, cloudy sort of Friday.  It’s the kind of day where it looks like it will be chilly and it’s actually kind of muggy. You end up putting your jacket on and then taking it off because a nice medium is never really found.  That same medium tends to evade one’s mood too.  You might awake up-and-at-‘em but once the mist gently dampens your clothes on your way out the door, it can occasionally dampen your mood as well. 

My mind wandered a bit and I found myself thinking upon a day, much like this day, several months ago.  As I recalled that rainy, cloudy, misty day, I remembered all the beauty and peace that surrounded me.  I thought how about how we might have missed it all if we let the gloomy weather deter us.  Thankfully, we didn’t.  Because now I realize that was the day that I really began to appreciate these sorts of days.

For me, that day was really one of the neatest travel experiences I’ve had so far.  We were traveling in Vancouver Island, BC, and exploring many of the provincial parks within a moderate drive from our condo.  The weather couldn’t decide what it was doing most of the day, but by the time we arrived at Stamp River Provincial Park, it pretty much decided it was going to be raining and chilly.  It took a while to get there.  In fact, I thought we were lost and I could feel the anxiety building with the four of us as we followed curve after curve.  Just when we were all starting to get antsy, we arrived seeing just one other car in the lot. 

View Up Stream

We decided to forge ahead and I am so glad that we did.  The rain came and went, but mostly came.  The gentle and steady pace was so calming that the worry and anxiety that built up as we drove seemed to softly fall away.  The river was the main attraction as it was salmon run season.  I know it may sound weird to say this, but that was an amazing thing to witness and one I won’t soon forget.  The force of the river’s current, so loud, roaring and racing by. These exhausted fish; they just kept swimming, kept fighting, to get up stream.  The mist acted as a veil slowly dancing in and out to cloak the panoramic view.  It was early fall and some trees couldn’t hide that fact anymore with pops of red, yellow and orange peaking through.     

There was a peace I found that day, deep and quiet.  Occasionally, yells of excitement would break that quiet as we watched a brave Coho salmon make a leap into the air to jump the falls and inch closer to his goal.  We never did see the black bear we knew had to be lurking by, hoping he could catch a few worn out fish as his afternoon prize. 

Coho Salmon Making the Leap 

It was a time that stood still, almost, with no real interruptions.  As I look back on it, through pictures or thoughts, I always remember the feeling of just being.  The peace.  The quiet.  The sound. It was a perfect day for soothing a tired and weary soul.  I think that’s what helps me to enjoy days like today more than I did before. After all, isn’t that what traveling and exploring and doing new and different things is all about? 

Stamp River