Charlottesville
June 11, 2022
One of the greatest gifts my wanderabout has allowed me to embrace is that of the journey. When I left Charlottesville to begin my walkabout, I envisioned basically a point to point drive with each Paris being a point. It was several weeks into the trip that I realized at the end of each day I was mentally tired from all that I had taken in that day. The space between the Paris’ was not this void/vacuum that I had expected — the space between was filled with new sights, sounds, people and experiences. Visiting each Paris has been wonderful — the space between has been Uber wonderful.
Which brings me to the word flourishing. Until three or four years ago, this was a word I NEVER thought of. I was too busy racing around trying to finish off my to do’s list (life hack — to do lists are not meant “to be done.). I was ACCOMPLISHING. That kinda sorta made me happy but not really.
I remember reading the word flourishing and thinking, yeah I want some of that. Flourishing is all the colors of the rainbow while accomplishing is dull gray. Flourishing for me captures growth, challenge, curiosity, fun, adventure, happiness and joy. It’s resilience and rebounding and enjoying the highs while they are there are chasing the next one.
Flourishing is still not part of my everyday vocabulary — I’m endeavoring to make it one though!