I’ve been angsty, irritable, happy, sad, excited and a whole range of emotions in between. My Dad’s voice echoes in my mind, “ShaSha, are you feeling fair to midland?” Yes, is my resounding internal reply. I had one of those ‘aha’ moments in the midst of my morning household cleaning, laundering, tidying up phase today: Change, with a capital C is taking place within my immediate household. It’s a mix of the usual ‘back to school, cusp of the season changing’ but with some added twists and turns.
My eldest graduated from Seattle University in June and moved home (which I’m thoroughly enjoying), to save money, find a job, and apply to veterinary school. She landed a ‘fabulous fit’ job for herself – vet assistant at Seattle Bird and Exotic Clinic. The stories, anecdotes, and daily adventures that come home with her are incredible. Now let’s add to the mix of our family of 5, plus 13 year old black lab, a pet Chinchilla! What a fun, interesting, intriguing pet he is: coat of speckled grey, black and white soft fluffy fur, twitching long whiskers, bounding ninja moves and a 5 foot tall heavy metal cage. Libby (our lab) hardly even notices him, while the rest of us watch in fascination as he zips here and there across the basement area floor. 
My middle young adult recently finished up her summer job at a coffee shop, internship at Sub Pop record label, and volunteering at Hollow Earth radio station. She’s preparing to venture off to Greece this coming Saturday for a study abroad program. She’s going to be away until December 23. I am going to miss her terribly. I’m attempting to hold space within my soul and belly that knows that she is going to have an incredible experience and that it’s a great opportunity for her to grow, learn, experience more of herself, and all of those kind of stretching, unfolding, individuating life experiences. I just know it’s a big deal for me and I think I might be a bit of crying mess after I say goodbye to her at the airport. An ocean full of feelings is happening within me.
My youngest young adult in the household is in his Senior Year of High School. Part of me questions: ‘Just how did the time go by so quickly?’ And I hear my Mom’s voice in my head, “ShaSha, they grow so fast!” I don’t feel any older than when he started Kindergarten. Perhaps a bit wiser? A little more self aware, but not much older. Reality is, it takes me time to catch up and name my feelings. These changes with my kids caught up with me this morning and I realized: I need to ‘take my soul for a stroll!’ And not to my usual Greenlake soul strolling destination with my faithful black lab companion. I needed something different. So Libby and I hopped into the van and headed out. I hadn’t settled on where exactly to go strolling but knew I wanted to get a few errands done first to be able to get centered and listen to my internal body compass and hear what it had to say. As my final errand was complete I knew exactly where to go: Edmonds.
Edmonds is west of my home in Seattle/Lake Forest Park area. It’s a quaint, lovely for strolling, on the water front, kind of place. After parking the car and wandering along the main street, Lib and I headed to the water. Water – my strolling soul needs to look out on water: smell it, watch it, sit by it, look out over the horizon, soak it in.
And that’s exactly what we did. I let out deep exhales and sent my angst, concerns, happy, sad, excited, fair to midland feelings out over the water. I let it go. It wafted out on the breeze, floated its way to the ferry, and rolled in and out with the waves. Ah, so much better: grounded, centered, calmer, and filled with natural Vit D. That’s what my soul needed.
Where do you go to ‘take your soul for a stroll’?
If taking your soul for a stroll intrigues and interests you, then considering joining Kayce Hughlett and I on our next Urban Paris Pilgrimage: Where Sole greets Soul, May 9 – 16, 2015.
Sharon Richards 