1.26.22 // A Few More Words on Mexico...

I thought I was done writing about Mexico, but even though the sun is gone, and the sand is only lingering in a few pairs of shoes, it turns out I have a few more words.
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The last trip to Mexico was nothing I expected, and everything I needed.
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This trip was tough in a really tangible way...
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A mysterious and lingering stomach issue for me, Taylor getting covid which meant a quarantine and extended stay way past our original leave date, scrapping our tentative Mexico wedding plans, an out-of-the-blue knee issue that kept me from enjoying activities I rely on for my mental health (runs, yoga, etc), and the list could ramble on...
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Historically, Taylor and I have been really lucky in our travels, most of our adventures go off without a hitch and we ease through any blips that might pop up.
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But this trip really tried to take us down a few notches, and it did. And I'm so grateful it did. I needed to be shaken up in a real way, to re-prioritize and get back to myself.
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I am walking away with a reunited zest for life. I can FEEL the shifts of the wind, the changing of days getting longer, the feeling of being on the edge of something exciting and scary and wonderful. I left Mexico with a rebuilt fire in my soul that had been blown cold by the winter winds, sucked dry by the illusion of familiarity and safety.
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I wish I could say I always have the tools to put myself on the right trail after I've veered off or to light my fire when the embers are dull, but I'm not there yet. But what I'm learning is that sometimes the universe helps me find my way back by giving me a challenge, a friend to nudge me in the right direction, or by simply forcing me to slow down.
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It's only been a few days since I've been back, but I can already see that my tan skin gained from warm afternoons on the beach is starting to fade back to its original winter shade.
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The real question is, will I let my habits and thoughts fade back to their old ways like the dying embers, or will I ride this shift in the winds to a blazing new beginning.