Those of you who follow me on social media know that the trip west to cover nine more states during this holiday season has been harrowing and harder than I thought.
- I made two unplanned visits to Las Vegas, yes TWO, for urgent van needs.
- An emergency overnight stay at the Walmart in Kingman, AZ.
- A visit to the pharmacy for meds to help my chest pains. Yes, the pain still exists from time to time. I guess the stress of the trip sent my heart over the edge.
The extreme highs and the intense lows sent my head swirling….
So…I take a deep breath and after several days of recuperating,
the theme that keeps running through my mind is…
COURAGE IS A MUSCLE.
It was striking how nervous I was to travel this next leg of the Millicent van journey. After all, I had already completed 32 states, why should I be nervous? The fact of the matter is that my ‘courage muscle’ had time to rest and had seemed to atrophy with lack of use on the road. I have found that courage, like any muscle in the body, can develop with use and similarly it can strain and tear with overuse. Such as the time I fell into tears after facing my greatest fear of getting SCUBA certified.
During the past year, I have learned that it is important to pay attention to our ‘courage muscle’ like we would a gym routine. Days of rest are important, but too many days off requires us to regain lost ground. It’s the natural ebb and flow of life.
As I thought about my upcoming van trip, my courage groaned under the weight of possible extreme high winds, freezing temperatures, arriving in Texas in time to hear my friend sing, and meeting my brother in California in time for Christmas…and how would I paint in inclement weather???
The fact of the matter is, we can prepare for the worst-case scenarios,
but we also need to let go and leave room for the best-case scenarios.
With that thought, I started my engine in Atlanta and started west…just in time for the Hollywood director who rents my home to call and say there was water coming through my kitchen ceiling again. I took a deep, deep breath and then became thankful that he called me while I was still in Atlanta and not deep on Route 66 somewhere. (See, there is always a silver lining.)
The other silver linings on this trip have been small and sweet. Millicent and I were able to help tow a car in distress. I fulfilled a friend’s wish and sprinkled her mother’s ashes on the Sandia Mountains. I heard my friend sing in Handel’s Messiah, which brought a tear to my eye. My brother and I were able to connect in a deeper way. I’ve seen sunrises, sunsets, and landscapes that will inspire paintings to come. Each of these moments has helped to replenish and develop my courage muscle.
As we approach 2023, where do we need to test our courage? How can we develop our courage muscle? It does not need to be in some large or profound way, it can simply be ready to tow someone’s car if needed. I have found that despite apprehensions, working on the courage muscle is incredibly worthwhile and those around you will appreciate it too.
Much love to all. Happy New Year!
Here’s to a beautiful and courageous 2023!
Christiane Palpant
