Pack your suitcase it's time to go.

As I was bounding along on my run today (Yes I said bounding...I felt like I had springs in my shoes...i hadn't run in 2 days and it felt as if I had let go of a big rock that was weighing me down, too bad i only had a quick 20 min before yoga class, would've loved to keep bounding along)...anyhow besides thinking how lovely I was feeling on the run, I remembered today was the last day in January and started to reflect back on the past month. Which brought me back to a mediation I had done right before the new year.

It was the last week of December and at the end of the class, instead of our regular savasana, the instructor led us through this mediation at the end of class:

"Remain in savasana with your eyes closed. Imagine you are standing in a room alone. The room is empty, nothing on the walls, the room is a bedroom, with no furniture, except a bed, and an empty open suitcase. Now look onto the bed. There are hundreds of photographs spread all over the bed. These photographs are pictures of your life. They are pictures of people, events, places, things...these pictures are a representation of your year in 2011. Take your time look through all the photographs, smile at the ones that bring joy, pause at the ones that bring out other emotions in you. Recognize these emotions and that each and every one of the pictures on the bed has brought you here today in this empty room. (take a minute or two to pause and reflect on these photos)  All right, you have to leave now, and its time to pack your suitcase with the photos, but you can't bring them all. Take along the ones of that will continue to be a part of your life moving forward. Take along the memories you cherish. Pack the ones that will guide you through tomorrow, but you must leave the ones that no longer serve a purpose in your life. Some of these will be easy to leave behind, some of them you will want to take along, but you know deep in your heart, they no longer serve you. Say goodbye. (pause a minute to reflect on what you are leaving behind) Okay its time to close the suitcase, bring it with you as you leave the room, turn off the light and shut the door behind you."

This was such a moving mediation for me, I had tears, streaming down my face, as I lay on the floor in the yoga studio. When I gathered up the strength to get up and move forward. I thanked the yoga instructor for such a beautiful mediation and let her know it was very meaningful and real for me, she smiled and assured me I wasn't the only one walking out of class with tears.

...any journey begins with the first step

FINALLY!  I have been meaning to start a blog for a while now. When I was home for Christmas, my brother's girlfriend, Jane told me how she wanted to start a blog as something new to try in 2012. I told her I had always been meaning to do so, as well, but never followed through with it. Ever since then I've had it on my to do list for 2012. So it only took 26 days, not bad :) Thanks Jane for giving me that push.

Why...because I want to share my endeavors and experiences of my journey through life with those I love and others that share the same passions as me: food, yoga, running and the beauty of nature. My hope is to inspire, motivate, entertain and share some useful bits of information I collect along the way.

2011 was a pivotal year in my life: there were major struggles, challenges, disappointments, tears, and heartaches. Through it all I learned to love more, laugh harder, hug longer, and surround myself with unconditional love.

If last year was about changes and challenges, this year is about even bigger and better changes and challenges. I promise I won't disappoint.