I think, from all those years growing up in Arizona, I’m programmed to dread summer and bright sun. After four summers in Los Angeles and on my third in Seattle, I’m still working to change that mindset. I fear summer. I fear sun. I don’t like warm days. I loved Seattle for its endless gray and rainy, chilly days. But lately I’m seeing the beauty in summer, and I’m beginning to understand why so many people look forward to it. June was a really, really rough month for me, but July has been looking up. Things just keep getting better and falling into place and, while I know that feeling is temporary, as all feelings are, it’s another reminder that through God and faith all things are possible.
I am now well into my 29th year, and I am still canceling meetings by sending emails that contain the line “I’d totally forgotten that Lindsay Lohan’s going to jail tomorrow. Can we push to Wednesday?”
This afternoon, I got back from a weekend women’s spiritual retreat at the breathtaking Rainbow Lodge. A close girlfriend invited me to attend with her. I don’t really want to write about it because it was such an intense and healing experience, and I feel like it will lose so much in translation, and perhaps I’m worried that I’ll lose some of it if I attempt the translation. Like it’s just one of those few things in my life that is so precious I want to keep it safe from the world (read: Internet), because that’s how I felt when I was there: safe. It was the safest and best-loved I’ve felt in a long time, there with fifty women who were complete strangers to me when I arrived. Maybe I’ll talk more about it later.
But I’ll say this: Everyone should do something like this at least once a year. I don’t even know how to find the good ones, or I’d tell you all. My friend found this one, and she also found the one we went to last year (different location, different group, equally amazing). When you ask her how she finds them, she shrugs: “I’m on a lot of mailing lists.”
The whole thing — including (comfortable) lodging and (good) food — only cost $150. I think that’s when you know you’ve found a good spiritual retreat — when the organizers are clearly more interested in furthering your relationship with God than in making money. I’m sure we covered their costs and nothing more.
Also, if you live in the Seattle area and you have never hiked Mt. Si, you’re missing out on a really beautiful meditation and an even better butt workout.
It’s entitled “5 Free Web Tools That Have Absolutely Saved My Life This Month.” No matter who you are or what you do for a living, there’s probably something in there that you’ll find useful. (Personally, I think everyone should have Skitch.) Also, if you want to give it a quick Facebook “like,” I’d be much obliged. :)
Me: I wish there were some device that could, like, cover your face while you shower, so that you could get your body clean without messing up your makeup. Like a shower cap for your face.
Kate: Um, I think they have something like that. It’s called a bath.
