The Muck And Mire

         

     This photo was taken from my window seat on an Alaska Airlines flight on our way home from Seattle.

     When I looked down on the Emerald City from this perspective, I was reminded of of how life can often be a lot like looking at a Van Gogh painting at less than arm's length.  As we wade in the muck and mire of our every day routine and focus on the individual brush strokes of the world we live in, we have to remember to take a few steps back (or in this case up) to get a good look at the big picture.  Every time I look at this pic, I think about how small I am in the overall scheme of things and how even smaller the things that we worry about are despite how huge they might seem when we are knee deep in it.  Take a step back, breathe in some fresh air, take it all in and get over yourself every once in a while.

     I see a pattern forming here in my last couple of posts, and all signs are pointing to the need for a vacation.  The boss and I are planning a trip or two in the next couple of months.  Perhaps a trip to San Francisco with the kids followed by a little winter (if you call what we have in So. Cal. Winter) camping (and what I mean by camping is camping in a trailer with a heater and hot running water with a shower and a king size bed).  Until then , my self motivating posts will continue to hold me over until we really get the chance to decompress.  I always seem to wait too long between vacations and let myself get to the point of extreme burnout.  How foolish is that?