I woke up this morning at 8:00am to the soft sound of surf and chirping birds.
“What should I do today?” I thought to myself while admiring the gorgeous morning light. “Maybe I’ll buy that boat.” After all, anything is possible. “Or maybe I’ll just go for a hike instead?”
I opened Instagram and saw that a friend I’d invited up to our island in Maine had left me a message — “You’re wild creatures who roam free! So jealous:).”
She isn’t wrong. I do “feel” very free. We don’t have any children. Our dog died three months ago. I’m an orphan. And we’re lucky enough to not have any money problems. It feels like I’ve worked my entire life to be free of anyone’s expectations and obligations. But while sitting here, reading my friend’s message, it all feels like now — somehow — like the work of a fool.
What I’ve come to realize is that “Freedom” with a capital “F,” isn’t worth much unless you’ve got it anchored to these three things.
1. Get in a cycle, any cycle
I often write about how the familiarity of the walk I take on our land every morning allows me to see the subtle…