Checking in. Productive day so far making good progress on projects with plenty of breaks to take care of myself today. Feeling vulnerable and heart heavy so I made sure to take Lupe on our longer walk through the woods and meadow behind our home. We don’t take that way every day though she wishes we did, so much so that she tries to lead me there, but I don’t always have time or heat tolerance. It was a beautiful walk, beautiful morning. We startled a young buck in the woods and he went crash bang running away from us, exciting. My favorite part is exiting the woods, turning the corner and walking up a deer trail with a steady incline into the meadow with forest on either side of us until we crest the hill and it opens up wide to a different kind of beauty. Today as we were approaching the crest I heard a hawk screech and sure enough a big beauty of a red tailed hawk swooped low across the trail in front of us. Monarch butterflies were everywhere, and plenty of other critters and birds. The purple martins twittering away making their cute sounds were all around. I felt like I could breathe easier and my heart felt lighter.
When things feel overwhelming or chaotic, and life and world events are heavy, I must remember to center myself however I can in the moment. I haven’t done so well in that arena in the last few months or so, or it’s been ups and downs with a feeling like I’m not putting work in to care for myself well. Today was an important reminder to be intentional about finding that center and balance, the peace within me that I know I can find if I work on it. Now that I have easy access to nature, there is really no excuse! It’s my favorite way to find that peace.
Make sure to seek your own ways to find your inner peace, even within the storm. Sending well wishes, amigx. 
