Walking Between Worlds

Last time I wrote I told you how I go off into the
wild blue yonder with my son, Gabe every summer.
It’s a special time when we both let down our hair so to speak. Except
this time I cut my hair off… well, most of it. Ever since I can
remember I have wanted a Mohawk. So, I went for it. First stop on the
way out of town was the barber shop.

Ever have that feeling when you are going to do something radical that
you’re not sure you should go through with it? Well, I’ve learned to
plow through that. So when the barber said, Is that narrow enough? I answered,
No. I want a thin
strip that runs front to back!

And
so it went until I had a true Mohawk. I liked it instantly. It set
loose a part of me that was waiting inside to be let out… something
wild.  And just in time for a trip into the back country. It’s
good to do something every once in a while that lands you in a
different camp so you can experience the world from a new angle. 

Gabe and I
spent a number of nights at our favorite hang-out, Mt Mitchell. First
thing we did was dig up our time capsule. It’s a small note we write to
ourselves in the future and then bury securely in a hidden location on
top of the tallest mountain east of the MIssissippi. We use a
prescription bottle because it is both light and moisture proof, making
an excellent time capsule. When we bury the next, it’s a promise to
return together sometime in the future as much as anything else.
 
This one had notes from 2007 and 2009. We located it pretty fast and
opened it up immediately to see what we had said those several years
ago. It’s a personal ritual the two of us share.

While atop the mountain we experienced a lightning storm, something
amazing when you are up as high as we were. There were several flashes
that completely whited out everything, even from inside the tent. In
one brilliant moment everything went bright.  The rain poured down
in sheets. It was about 11:30pm. We got caught up in the natural energy of
the moment, laughing and talking raucously until the storm slowed down.
Our little two-person tent held up quite nicely keeping us dry. It was
cool, in the low 40s every one of the four nights we camped.

Gabe likes to write and he never stops. He always has a pen or iPhone
in hand to get  his ideas down. He just became a staff writer for Muze Magazine. He was often writing next to the
fire in our campsite, taking a breakto put his experience into words.

We had special times rolling through the hills and backwoods of North
Carolina and Tennesse. There is nothing like camp coffee and music
first thing in the morning as the mist rolls off the mountains and the
clouds pass through camp.

Now we are
back, refreshed and renewed. Gabe is at his first day in High School
and I am kicking off the fall with a new effort to help CEOs of
nonprofits get innovation right.

I feel enriched by my time off the grid. My energy is strong. My mind
is clear. I am coming at things with a new perspective.

I cut the Mohawk down so now I just have a close cut on top. It was a
great re-entry ritual. I am ready for action… ready to move into the
fall with running start.

It’s going to be a good season, lots of new ideas, progress and
adventures.

Walking between worlds pays off. It renews the mind, sharpens the
senses, and brings revitalization. Keeps you fresh!