“Living a Life of Evergreen”
Adventuring in Evergreen
I LOVE mountains covered in deep, thick forests of Evergreen! Unfortunately Eastern Washington, where I live, is literally the only part of ‘the Evergreen State’ that is NOT Evergreen. (More like Everbrown!)
Don’t get me wrong, I love my backyard and all it’s endless variety of browns (this is a real thing, honest!) But, when I want to hang out in mountains & evergreens, I have to head to ‘the West Side’ to find them.
This is where it gets a little tricky …
To the West side and back again
The drive from East to West in ‘the Evergreen state’, starts in dry desert scablands (not kidding and no, it’s not all that exciting). But soon, the scenery morphs into wide open prairies and growing green farm lands that then become rolling foothills and finally beautiful, snow-capped mountains surrounded by Evergreens!
This drive, makes an awesome progression on the way there! It mirrors my building excitement as everything in me is literally hollering, “Adventure, here I come!”
UNFORTUNATELY, leaving my adventure … and driving back home is EXACTLY the opposite.
And then, NOT only am I bummed that my adventure has to end, BUT the disappointment is compounded by having to watch the beautiful Evergreen covered mountains fade from my rear-view as I begin my reverse progression back to dry desert …
and Everbrown.
It makes coming back to ‘real life’ always appear SO much more ‘BLAH’!
The Question in my head
I was coming home from just such an adventure when the strangest thing happened.
I was crossing beautiful Snoqualmie Pass, FULLY lamenting EVER having to leave ANY adventure and return to ‘real life’, when these words just showed up in my head out of the blue:
Are you going on adventures to *LIVE* your life … or to *ESCAPE* it?
Uhh …
!!!
WOW.
I was speechless for quite awhile … which is a little scary for someone who likes to talk as much as I do. And being totally honest, I had to admit my answer was to *ESCAPE*.
Escaping Life as Everbrown
Since that experience, I’ve thought a lot about what it would be like to adventure for living, instead of escaping. What a cool concept, right?! But I literally had NO IDEA how to do that … or even where to start for figuring it out!?
It took awhile, but I eventually came up with *the one thing* I believed could change my answer from escaping to living. Simple, really, but not so simple, at the same time.
It was this:
*Build a life that I don’t feel the need to escape from*
Hey, great!! That could totally work!
But now how do I do THAT?!!
Living a Life of Evergreen
HOW does one go about ‘Building a life they don’t feel the need to escape from’ ??!?
Well, just thinking about it has helped a ton already. I’ve tried some things too, not all were successful! Here’s what I’ve discovered so far:
1) It’s definitely a process.
Change is hard and takes time! That’s ok! It’s a good path and just walking it will yield many good things! I can give myself time and just be patient with *my* process!
I’ve realized the first thing I have to figure out is: ‘how to stop trying to escape from myself’ (A fun one, for sure!)
2) I CAN change my life, no matter how stuck I feel.
In fact, I’m the only one that can. Changing a life is more about working on what’s inside, than what’s outside.
Looking hard enough, I can see that ‘my life on the outside’ is just a reflection of what’s ‘on the inside’. I am the sum total of a bazillion little choices that I did (or didn’t!) make over time.
Becoming someone ‘I don’t feel the need to escape from’, may be a long process … BUT it can start right now, in this moment, with a new choice.
3) I don’t have to do it alone.
I can choose to involve God in the process.
Maybe someday I’ll share the story of my insanely long cliff-edge traverse with God. He helped me out of a seriously, life-damning predicament that I’d gotten myself into. I was completely stuck physically, mentally, emotionally and unable to help myself. God pointed me on a path that was horribly painful and scary! But He walked every harrowing step with me along the way and helped me to a better place … inside & out.
After that experience, I completely trust God’s help in the process of my life!
4) It’ll be worth it!
I’m still working on Building and Living a Life of Evergreen. I imagine it will take a lifetime! But I’m already seeing progress!
And hey! When I get discouraged and need to remind myself how awesome Evergreen is … I can just take that drive to ‘the West side’ and hang out for awhile!
Although, maybe I’ll just fly, instead of drive, for my trip home!