I’m having an experience I needed but didn’t know I needed until just now.

More than a year ago, I signed up to attend PeerSpirit’s The Self as the Source of the Story workshop in December of 2011. As often happens, work got the best of me, and I deferred my attendance for a year, which meant I was to attend from November 27 to December 3 of this year – as in right now.  Then last week, I got busy at work again, and there were other things going on that made me think it best to skip being here. But in the end, I got a phone call from the facilitator Christina Baldwin. She had read my pre-conference submission and lovingly encouraged me to come. Her call and the positive energy she sent my way helped me realize that staying home would be easier but being here would change me somehow. I decided to make the trip happen, whatever it took. And I’m so glad I did.

First of all, Whidbey Island and the property we are on are gorgeous. I walk around on a nearby land trust that houses a sanctuary and a labyrinth. I look at the trees and find myself thinking that I should, perhaps, never leave. More than that, the women here are…perfect. I’m in a house with four women, all of whom come with different offerings. One brings warmth. Another brings understanding. Another brings adventure.

I walked this morning with understanding and adventure on some trails we were discovering together. I had walked and run the trails a bit yesterday, doing an out-and-back since I didn’t know exactly where the trails went. Today, adventure didn’t want to back-track. She looked around and sensed that we were doing a perfect loop and had much confidence that if we continued forward, we would find our way home. I, of course, felt the twinges of worry. What if we take too long and miss the morning session? What if we take too long, and I don’t have time to shower before we meet as a group? What if we get lost? But I kept quiet and continued walking between adventure and understanding. Wouldn’t you know it? We arrived safely in the meadow where we began, and I even had time to do a bit of work before meeting with the group.

I can’t describe the morning group session yet. Too much happened for me in that circle of women. I need to process it all and continue forward to wherever this place might lead. I just know that I’m in a safe place, and I’m doing exactly what I need to be doing right now.