Category: Mental Wanderings

Welcome to the Vortex

by ritamason1249, posted in Arizonia 2022, Mental Wanderings

We have arrived. Sedona Arizona


My friend, Leslie, and I at the last minute decided to tour the Southwest (Las Vegas, Grand Canyon Sedona) this past December (2022). In five days, we would pick up another friend flying into Phoenix to go sightsee the Grand Canyon, which I had been before, but they had not. Neither one of my friends had been on vacation in decades.

Prior to coming to Sedona, AR we drove toward Flagstaff where it began to snow, light at first than heavy. It was not quite a “white-out” condition; but to me who has never driven in snow conditions, it was good enough. We drove down a 2-lane mountain road for about two lifetimes (probably one hour). I carefully drove from Flagstaff in the snow to Sedona, eyes glued to the road, hands wrapped around the steering wheel in a death grip. The fearful price was well worth the journey.



Covid-19 and the Best Made Plans of Mice & Pilgrims

by ritamason1249, posted in Mental Wanderings, Portugese Way - just the 3 of us

Today is April 5, 202I . I was hoping that I would be writing about my up coming Portuguese Camino trip with my two great-grandsons. However; instead ,once again,  I have to  reschedule our journey because of  … Covid-19 related  delays .!!.Surprise!! not really.

I feel that Corvid – 19 has taken away a year of my life .

(I do feel lucky, I am still alive and so are members of my family, Thanks be to GOD, obeying the rules of quarantine, hand washing, and the dreaded “political statement” THE MASK )

It is what it is, the delays ,the worry about not being able to fly to Portugal to start the the Camino, the rescheduling of the air flights to September 2021.. However upon thinking about this more thoroughly, this is our Camino..

During  my time of waiting I set goals to complete, just to keep me busy and productive.
I tried to learn Spanish early on. I’m still learning and still can’t speak Spanish. But I will keep trying. Another task I had set for myself was to finish a hand embroidered baby blanket. I think the baby will be married by the time I finish it. It’s that complex. But I did start, that has to count for something..

The pathway to hell is setting a pathway of goals.      September will come and go as it does every year… Camino or no Camino.  Maybe I will just stop setting goals and just go with it as it is… (is that setting a goal?)

 

Coronavirus how some cope

by ritamason1249, posted in Camino - Walker's Tale, Mental Wanderings, Portugese Way - just the 3 of us

As you may have guessed. Our Portuguese Way has been cancelled until later. Which is ok..

To prepare for the long haul, I volunteered to self quarantined. As I told work and family, I do not want to be the virus multiplier.

I went to the grocery store to buy two weeks worth of food to limit the times I go outside into my community.

It is funny what people think as necessary to hoard. Walking through the store, I noted the trends.. bread all gone; bottle water all gone; cans of all kinds of beans, gone… and of course toilet paper and paper towels.

But the most profound … in the liqueur section all the vodka Gone…

Now that makes sense.

So I bought all the bottles of margarita

Salute Coronavirus

Take that you rat bastard

 

 

 

You Think your life has little or no impact on others…. Think again!

by ritamason1249, posted in Camino - Walker's Tale, Mental Wanderings

Through out my life I have been inspired by people around me who took the road not easily traveled or stood up for what they believed was ethically and morally right. Or how inspired I became when  witnessing strangers who gave small gestures of kindness and compassion to someone in need was . Most of my “mentors” probably do not know the impact they made on my life and others.

A year and half ago, a friend of mine planned a trip to Italy with her friend. They had scheduled a tour of Rome for the first week and the rest of the month they would travel to various cities. Just before leaving her friend had to cancel because of illness. Jeannie went any way, alone. When she got back I asked her how was the trip. She loved it. I questioned her if she was ever scared to be by herself. “No, not at all! ” I was amazed!

She did not realize that her trip inspired me to walk the Camino alone until I gave her a copy of my photo essay book on my journey walking the Camino. She was surprised when she read my dedication to her which stated, “she opened the door to my imagination that I too could walk alone in a foreign country”.    She was so touched she exclaimed as she wiped away a tear, “I have never been an inspiration to anyone in my life”. To that I said I can’t believe that. You just haven’t been told.

 

 

 

My Truth, My Story, My Voice

by ritamason1249, posted in Mental Wanderings

Since I was a kid I always had something to say., but I never gave it a voice. I thought I might sound stupid.

And being found out as being stupid in my family was a mortal sin. One you would never recover from in the eyes of my Mother, thus a”mortal sin”. Nothing worse than being intellectually impaired.

Round about junior high school I had a .epiphany ( one of many). I noticed that a lot of kids would say stupid stuff with out reservation.

So I began to say things to my close friends.

And so my journey began.

We all have something to say. Who we are is our Story based on our Truth…. We just need to give it our Voice!

So I say to you my friend. You have something to say. I challenge you to find your Voice

Your Story, Your Truth, Your Voice!!!

Be brave