Sometimes conversing with your airplane seatmate can be a holy moment. (Confession: I’m typically a “put my headphones on and leave me alone” type of flyer after initial pleasantries.)- Don’t leave behind sunblock and your hat when you’re going to the desert. (Don’t worry mom, I improvised and made it home with only amild-ish sunburn)
- Reaffirmation that we need to get out of our “bubbles” more regularly and recognize there is wisdom and value to be gained from traditions/beliefs/cultures different than ours.
- The cyclical and seasonal dance of light and dark: pre-dawn star-filled skies, sunrise, shadows, mid-day high sun, sunset, moon, dark night stars — Just Wow!
(Confession: I don’t typically see all the hours of day in the sky…because I am a lover of sleep. The mountains, clouds, open skies, and beauty made the light show all the more awe-some!)
- Carrying a mini Jesus figurine in your pocket can serve as a helpful reminder to always be on the lookout for Christ.
- Silence and solitude are “golden” and powerful spiritual practices…but they are incomplete without community and conversation.
- A 3-mile hike on a mountain is not the same distance as a 3-mile hike on flat land. (I seemingly always remember this helpful advice about 1/2 way up on mountain hikes). Similarly, a 13-mile drive on a dirt road in a mountainous canyon is not the same distance as on a “normal” road. (Yes, I know the measurements for distance are the same, but the experiences says otherwise).
- With simplicity comes freedom.
- There are ways to make instant coffee taste better with limited resources.
- Awe, wonder, and curiosity are catalysts for joy and peace.
list but know that it is a very scientifically written book, although also fascinating and inspiring!)