I Climbed Mountains to Learn These

In my previous blog, I mentioned how hiking has been very helpful in terms of distilling the barrage of thoughts that constantly plague my overthinking brain.

These are some of the things that are not rocket science, not profound and not even new; but I, literally, had to climb mountains to learn and truly grasp what they meant.

• Start  and end with a prayer.  Make sure to pray for good weather! (San Rafael comes in very handy here).
• Prepare.  Find out what you can about the trail; check weather conditions; bring what you will need.
• You'll get there.
• Take the first step.  Then, the next.  One step at a time.
• Know your capabilities and your limits.
• Take risks, but safety first.
• Take breaks, as frequently as you need them. ("Let's take 5!").  Breathe deeply.
•  Enjoy the view.  Enjoy the journey. Don't focus too much on the trail.  Look up every now and then. Look back, too.  Some of the nicest views I've seen are from looking back.
• Hydrate and eat smartly.
• Pack light.  The hike is so much easier without excess baggage.
• It is not a competition. Respect your own speed and others'.
• Choose your company well. Ideally, someone (individuals) --
• headed in the same direction
• who makes you comfortable in your own skin (read: someone you can be totally honest with and vice versa)
• who understands and respects you (note: not necessarily someone who thinks exactly like you do)
• you have similar interests with, but also different enough to expand you
• who energizes you (a.k.a. NOT toxic)
• Interact.  You will not always meet these individuals again.  Learn from them.  Share what you can.
• Respect differences.  Remember that we are all looking at the world through different lenses.
• Lend a hand to those who need it.
• Ask for help, when you need it. 
• Stretch your limits. You can always do more than you thought you could.
• When you feel like giving up, weigh your options.  Check how far you've gone vs. how far you are from the summit.  And, sometimes, giving up is not an option.  (We don't have helicopters to pick you up and fly you back to the jump off point).
• When you're lost, stay put, call for help and wait for help to come.
• Trust and follow your guides.

In a nutshell:  It is the journey, not the destination.

Do not focus too much on getting to the summit or the destination.  It is often in the trails where I find the most interesting things and views.  This is one of my regrets from a recent hike I took with a friend (especially since it's a place I will likely not have a chance to go back to).  He (and other friends who have been there) said that the farthest lagoon and another trail are unremarkable, and the trek itself would be challenging because it's muddy. Now I am wondering if  I missed out on something beautiful along the way, just because I didn't even give it a chance. 

 

Take the time to fully experience the hike.  Sit on that rock. Lean on a tree. See, smell, touch and feel your surroundings.  

Stop and chat with the people in the communities you pass by.  Ask about their life.  In these conversations, I marvel at how simple and happy their lives are. Yes, there is a lot of difficult manual labor.  But they do not have the kind of worries or stress that keep them awake through the night.  Sometimes I want to live like them. 

Start that conversation and get to know the other hikers.  This is a challenge for me.  The thing is, I find small talk tiresome and a tad useless, so I don't often engage.  I'm amazed at how some people can stretch small talk for hours, but then you walk away not really knowing the other person at all.  So, strike up a real conversation! The truth is, I'm not a stellar conversation starter either.  It is much easier for me to listen to people or answer questions.   I guess it comes from sometimes feeling uncomfortable with direct/too-personal-for-comfort questions from people I hardly know. I don't want to put people in the same uncomfortable situation, so I just wait for them to share whatever they are comfortable sharing.  You can imagine how this becomes quite a problem when I'm stuck with a fellow introvert.  Thus, I have resolved to be brave and start real conversations with fellow hikers I want to get to know better.  

The summit will be there when you get there.  True.  It is a different high reaching the summit.  But it's only as fulfilling as the effort it took to get there.  Some summits are worth it.  Some summits are not.  But the journey itself, the sights we see, the conversations and stories of fellow hikers and the experiences we go through together --- these are ALWAYS worth it.  These are the ones that we relive and retell to others after the hike.  So, just relax , slow down a bit and enjoy the trek.  

(Photos from our Mt. Manalmon hike with #TrailAdventours #ShareLifeOutdoors )

Hiking: A Trigger And Therapy For The Overthinker

(DISCLAIMER:  What follows is MY opinion, based on personal reflection.  Not backed by any scientific study or analysis).

I read from a friend's IG post:
"One of the many things to love about hiking is that it's easy to be in a musing mood when in the wild.  We talk less, walk more (and in the process, meditate more)." Jayvee Tanawan on IG

It dawned on me that THAT is probably why I enjoy it so much.  Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I feel a need to go on a hike.  I don't always get the answers, but I get clarity.

Photo by:  Ryan Berza

You can go one-on-one with a friend or in a group with familiar and/or unfamiliar people and socialize a bit. But there will always be that inevitable lull when each one: first, gets lost in the beauty of nature; then, gets lost in their thoughts.  Thus, hiking is a trigger for overthinking.

BUT it's also a solution.  The menial task of walking/hiking combined with the beautiful open view helps an overthinker to declutter his/her thoughts and work through them slowly.

The rhythm of a slow (or even a brisk) hike reduces the rushed or panicky feeling an onslaught of thoughts can bring.  Moreso, the pace is completely at his/her control.  (Notice how a person's walking speed shows how relaxed or tensed or angry a he/she is).

The scenery and its mix of simple and complex elements serve as enough distractions to the overthinker, preventing him/her from spiraling or overthinking just one subject.

Plus, every company demands for some attention every now and then.  Sometimes a conversation with a hike buddy serves as a natural break from an overthinker's labyrinth brain.  Sometimes, a hike buddy is just the right person to help thresh out those infinite thoughts.

More importantly, nature has a way of evoking positive uplifting emotions; the most "negative" I felt was probably melancholy, but even that gave way to either hope or resolve eventually.  When you are faced with such unassuming grandeur, it is difficult not to feel God, the depth of His love and the truth in His promise.  There is nothing that cannot be fixed, resolved or found.  Everything is possible.

Photo by:  Ryan Berza

Photo by:  Ryan Berza

Of course, for it to work as  "therapy", it has to be the right level of difficulty and the right distance.  A hike that is too difficult or takes too long can be trying to the most patient person (and, if you run out of trail food, that can quickly escalate --- eep!).

So, if you or anyone you know is an overthinker and is thinking of giving nature hiking a chance, Start with the easy, established trails first (national parks are good bets). Then, work your way up, as  needed, to keep your senses and your soul engaged.  It will not give you all the answers you need, but it can set you on the right track or, at the very least, help empty your mind.  When we are empty, we give Him the opportunity to fill us up.

Misa De Gallo and Christmas 2018

Misa De Gallo Day 1

Day 1 begins with a promise ...

From the 2nd Reading:  Philippians 4:6-7

"Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.  Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Misa De Gallo Day 2

The genealogy of Christ highlights God's recognition and understanding of human frailty; and the promise that He makes all things new.  blessings and graces are not withheld because of our failures, but are given despite of and wholly out of love.

From the Gospel:  Matthew 1:6

"Jesse the father of David the king.  David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah."

Misa De Gallo Day 3

Today's Gospel is one of the few that mentions St. Joseph.  And, even though he said not one word, it was packed:

1. Joseph allowed God to intervene on his marriage.
2. He obeyed without question.
3. He was a man of few words, but only had good and the right intentions for Mama Mary.

From the Gospel:  Matthew 1:24

"When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home."

Misa De Gallo Day 4

Today's readings highlighted 4 characteristics of God:

1. God is always a God of good news.
2. Our God is a God of surprises.
3. Our God is a generous God.
4. Nothing is impossible with God.

His plans may not be the same as our plans and the timing can be different; BUT it's always better.  In fact, it's the best!

From the Gospel:  Luke 1:24-25

"After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, 'So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.'     "

Misa De Gallo Day 5

Two salient points from today's homily:

1. Mary's response to Angel Gabriel's news teaches us to listen to, accept and live God's word.
2. God does not need our ability.  He needs our obedience and availability to do His will.

From the Gospel:  Luke 1:38

"Mary said, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.' Then the angel departed from her."

Misa De Gallo Day 6

We find true joy -- the kind that is serene, complete and independent of chance -- by following the JOY formula: 1st comes JESUS, then comes OTHERS and YOU, last.

1. There are people who come into our lives that bring inexplicable joy and are catalysts for positive change.  They are Jesus coming into our lives.  We only need to accept and allow Him to bring us that joy.
2. We are also bearers of Jesus to other people.  Let us fulfill that mission joyfully.
3. Finally, we need to trust in God's plans for us and His promise of joy.  Fret not.  He's got this.

From the Gospel:  Luke 1:44-45

"For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.  Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

Misa De Gallo Day 7

Blessings begin with thanksgiving and a grateful heart.  And thanksgiving brings:  order to chaos, clarity to confusion, enough to insufficiency and peace to anxiety.

Today's Gospel is the Magnificat, Mary's song of thanksgiving (my favorite).  Her soul was overwhelmed by God's amazing grace with two miracle conceptions:  John's and Jesus', both in fulfillment God's plan of salvation.

From the Gospel:  Luke 1:46-49

"Mary said, 'My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.  For He has looked upon His lowly servant.  From this day all generations will call me blessed:  the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name.'"

Misa De Gallo Day 8

This Christmas season, more than material gifts, let us focus on giving the gift of Love manifested through ROSE: Respect, Openness, Sensitivity and Empathy.  

This is the only gift that gives, not just to the receiver but also to the giver -- because it results in joy for both.  So, like Mama Mary in today's Gospel, let us to ordinary things with extraordinary love and bring joy to the world exponentially.

From the Gospel:  Luke 1:39-43

"Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.  When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of  your womb.  And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?'"

Misa De Gallo Day 9

Today is the final day of the novena Masses.  We look back at how we started Day 1 by Opening our hearts to God; as the days progressed, we felt Him working on our Inner Healing; and, today, we realize that the past days have helped us Develop our perseverance and prayer life.

From the Gospel:  Luke 1:78-79

"... in the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Christmas Day Mass

The Christmas belens we decorate our homes with are afar cry from the real one that Christ was born in.  If you visit one now, the most notable thing that will remain with you is the stench of animal manure.

So ... just why did God decide to come down to our level and be born in such humble circumstances?

To give dignity to man;

And to show us what we can be if we allow God into our lives and surrender to His will.

From the Gospel:  John 1:14, 16-17

"And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth ... From His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

Poetic Doses: 346 to 360

#365DaysOfPoetry #RayaBlabbers

346

Like a moth
stubborn
foolishly
courting the flame
and repeatedly dying
in its unforgiving embrace;
I have died
repeatedly
and a little bit more
in your meaningless
and thoughtless embrace.


347

I choose to believe
That in a remote corner of your universe
Is my name written in its stars;
That in your own fashion
You once (or do) loved me.


348

Just Breathe

Not proud
Nor stubborn
Merely weary
Barely breathing
From the endless cycle
Of forwards and backwards
Of coming alive and dying
All over again.


349

In this absolute blackness
The stars came, blanketed over me;
Prodding me to send my signal light
And, with it, the echoes of my heart.


350

I looked up and there she was
My Morning Star
And suddenly the vastness
Was no longer a void
But a sky full of stars
And a shower of fresh wishes.


351

Cheshire cat moon
Grinning at a secret or two
I hope someday soon
To laugh at the joke too.


352

Come
Reach for me
Let us dance
To our hearts' beating
That with each sway
And caress
Our souls burst forth
To life.

(Not dead, just waiting)


353

He realized that all he needed to do was lift his hands;
And there he was, touching the Sun!


354

Christmas is for every child, young and old.
May you always see with the eyes of a child;
and may you never cease finding the wonder in all things.


355

After all the fireworks
All that remains is smoke.


356

In the overall scheme of things, we are tiny and fleeting;
Yet never without consequence or meaning.
One life made better or a singular moment of selfless act
Shall make our minute life worthwhile.


357

I imagine it must have been a night just like this;
Away from the hustle and bustle of the city;
Under a blanket of stars, amidst sheep;
Joseph and Mary finally found a place to rest.

I understand now why He chose to be born there.


358

In her heart she must have known;
And, yet, this joy was so profound, so complete,
That the accompanying agony was worth it all.

***

Round and round this roundabout
So many choices, so many turns;
Somebody tell me which exit to take,


359

My heart overflows with the magnitude of Your love;
And look forward to the promise of the new day,
Knowing that tonight I rest in You.


360

I do not see You
And, yet, You are all around me.

You hear my silent cry amidst the clamor;
See the beauty in my ordinariness;
And sing my lonely away.

I do not see You
And, yet, only You love me completely.

Poetic Doses: 331 to 345

#RayaBlabbers #365DaysOfPoetry

331

Between the shadows of your heart
It came tumbling out
(barely audible)
And I pocketed it, guardedly
Between the flickering lights in my heart.


332

In an instant I came crushing down
Eyes still glazed from the trance
Of your perfectly played musical act
And my irreparably skewed reality.


333

I looked up and thought
What a perfect moment.

Dusk ---
When all things beautiful
End in a glorious splash of hope
Even as night creeps in
As surely as the stars that accompany it.

So I took a leap
And laid my heart out to you.

Dawn ---
When all things tired and broken
Get a new lease at life
Even as it means starting over
With the unfamiliar and the unwritten.


334

True love breathes and expands;
And it begins with loving me.


335

She picked them up gingerly
Every broken and bleeding part;
Her cheeks drenched in tears
She walked slowly home;
Then laid them one by one
Carefully at her mother's feet.


336

Little cloud over my head
You dampen my spirit so
Little cloud over my head
Pouring down on me
I wish for wind or just a breeze
To blow you far away from me
Or maybe some little sunshine
To perk my spirits up.


337

And, one day, it was just there
Where it was not
And it grew steadily
Without any trouble
Then it remained quietly, firmly
Without demand or reproach.

Mushrooms (also, Love)


338

No one knows where this road will lead;
But if you take my hand and lead the way,
I'll gladly walk this road and see us through.


***

As if sensing my heart
The sky cried with me.


339

In the morning
Let my eyes open
To the afterglow
Of the warmth of your love.


340

For mornings of clarity
That fill our hearts with peace
Thank You!


341

This warm unshakable happy feeling
Comes with the sun peeking through the trees
It will be a beautiful day!


342

And I have no regrets
I have loved you as best I could
Goodbye


343

The melancholy of Dusk settled
And, on the horizon, the waning crescent moon rose;
She lifted her shotglass to it:
For old love's waning
And to new love's beginning.


344

I stood quietly at heaven's door
In complete awe at its breathless wonder
Marveling at the realization
The only thing that comes close to this
Is that moment when you glimpse
The intricacies of another soul.


345

Fill my days with tasksm
mundane and extraordinary;
That night shall find me
drained to exhaustion;
Only then am I spared
from battling echoes in my head;
These, the inescapable tortures
of the monotony of quiet;
That comes from long drives
on deserted streets;
And 3 am thoughts
as the world sleeps.