For the past several weeks, I've felt the need to take to the road and get away--to heal my soul and lift the weight my heart has been carrying all year. Despite this feeling of peace and inner happiness I've been feeling in spades throughout the past several months, there's been a strange, dueling energy that needed to be resolved.
In short, I needed to come home to myself.
I couldn't figure out where I wanted to go, as every plan I made kept falling through. Finally, after asking God to point me in the right direction, I landed on an online ad for an inn in Ithaca, NY. A soul sister and I had been planning a trip to the Finger Lakes later this summer, but I'd been needing a solo getaway. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to see my friend who lives close to the area and spend some time with myself on a working vacation in a place of peace.
It turned out, this wasn't the vacation I wanted, but it was the vacation I needed.
I got myself a smoothie for the road (333 was my order number, which told me I was being divinely guided along my travels), plugged in the Mark Groves Podcast that activated all sorts of healing and clarity, and began my journey.
I experienced so many Full Circle Moments along my trip that called back to who I used to be, reminding me of who I've since become. The inn that I stayed at had a distant view of the lake and was decorated in French country decor, reminding me of the inn I'd spent a month in during my trip to France back in 2008--also discovered in a magazine ad and what led to my initial awakening experience. I felt resistance to where I was staying now. As a highly-feeling person, ambiance and vibes are important to me. I'd been seeking a place where I could stay in comfort, work, and find some rest. Again, while the inn itself was beautiful, it wasn't what I was expecting or necessarily wanted. But it was exactly what I needed. The moment I surrendered, I realized why I was there.
Connection. Even if just for a moment, just for a day, this is what it was for.
The owner of the inn was a delightful older woman I connected with immediately. As soon as she found out I was a tarot reader and spiritual coach, we dove into spiritual and life topics. She made me a delicious dinner from her garden, introduced me to two longer-term renters, and together we all dined on the terrace, talking far into the evening.
We grow when we connect, and as I allowed my heart to open up completely to these strangers who had become friends, I found myself expanding in beautiful ways.
The next day, I packed my things and said goodbye to the inn, intending to explore and see where the day would take me. Meeting up with my soul sister fell through, so I surrendered even more to the joy of the present moment and experienced so much magic. I drove through Cornell University to take some video for my dad, a Cornell alum (I couldn't help but laugh when I told him where I was going), then stopped to eat breakfast at a local diner in which the waitress and I chatted about fashion and loving our bodies. Then I spent the rest of the morning exploring the state parks and waterfalls in the area, and because I will literally talk to everyone, I even met a couple from home on the trail. We spent a good ten minutes chatting about our hometown hockey team, much to my delight.
The waterfalls renewed my soul, the connections restored my faith, and my overcoming little fears and anxieties along the way, particularly in surrendering plans and trusting my intuition in how the day unfolded, revived my spiritual strength. Having seen everything I wanted to see and knowing my experience was complete, I headed home.
I always feel like a renewed person when I travel--particularly when I'm traveling on my own. For so many years, I lacked confidence and faith in myself and the Universe that even the smallest move felt like an impossible feat, taking all of my willpower and all of my inner strength. To come to this place where I can find joy in the surrender and magic in every step of the journey feels like a miracle. And maybe that's what it is...
Maybe miracles are just recognized magic.