You are the company you keep... and since I'm my own best friend, we're clearly both nuts.

I know that many people take vacations to the beach and plant themselves in the sand with a cold drink. Or perhaps a cruise. Or Disney. I haven’t done any of those things on vacation in many years.  Or ever.

I have adopted a different form of vacation that I can only describe as a spiritual exploration. I spend most of my time talking and listening. Or quietly reflecting and renewing my spirit. I look forward to this all year, for obvious reasons.

As I’ve mentioned, people are baffled when I tell them that I head right for Nebraska the second my vacation weeks begin.  And I guess I would be too if I didn’t know the value that waits there.

My time in Nebraska allows me to take a truly relaxing vacation. I get no cell service, so that’s one piece of technology checked off my list. I’m rarely inside, which checks off the news and TV. My laptop is ridiculously slow with its internet connection and it’s infuriating, which checks off my last piece of technology. This does, however, make me a crappy vacation blogger.

It also allowed me to spend quality time with my best friend and her family. This is a bit peculiar because in everyday life, she lives a short 20 minutes from me, and yet we drive 22 hours before we’re finally able to relax and spend very valuable time together. Better later then never! I also spend time with her in-laws, who I adore. They have great advice on relationships, parenting and everything before and after. And they never dress it up to make it pretty; they tell it like it is. I refer to this as “not blowing smoke up my ass”.  Feel free to use that.  And lastly, I got to enjoy time with my long distance friend, who I met last year. And this year, our time together cemented why we’re friends and why I feel we’ll continue to be for a long time to come.

I’ve definitely realized that in my present life I’ve surrounded myself with women who inspire and push me to be better and to stay authentic. And they all do this by being the same way. I don’t know that there are many things in life better than being able to say that you’ve got inspiring and true friends who love you for you: the good, the bad and the ugly.



Lastly, I spent a lot of time with me, especially when I took my side trip to the Colorado Rockies.  And maybe at one point of my life, that would have terrified me. Not now. Time spent alone provides me with the opportunity to take in everything that I’ve seen and to process all that I’ve heard.  There was a time when I wouldn’t take anyone’s advice. When my parents and my sister and friends would pull me aside to attempt to talk a lick of sense into me.  I can honestly tell you that I didn’t take any of it. But maybe my desire to take my own, hard headed way made it so that eventually, I got tired of taking all the lumps myself. Now I try to be keenly aware that other people, specifically the people I respect and admire, have more than enough life lessons to tell me about. And now, I listen with an open ear and an open heart.

My wish for you would be that if you’re not there already, that you do two things: the first is to be your own best companion. There is no one that will be more honest with you, if you’re willing to see the harsh truth along with the love you should have for yourself. No one should love you more than you love yourself.  If you lose the balance in your life, you’ll quickly become your own worst enemy instead of your own best friend.  So while I jokingly say I'm a little nuts in this post title,  I do say it with love!

And secondly, open yourself to others. I don’t mean to sit and smile through your conversations only to ignore their words later. And even if it’s during a conversation, rather than them giving you direct advice, there are kernels of wisdom to be taken from virtually every in-depth conversation you have with someone you respect. And really, even if you’re talking to someone you think is a dope; at least you could be learning how you DON’T want to be.   

I thank you, as always, for giving me time and your support. And I leave you with this next quote, which is my subtle hint into what my next post will be about:

 Spirituality is the awareness that survival is the savage fight between you and yourself.

- Anonymous