hard work – The Hermits' Rest

Lee decided I had had a rough week from work and such, so we should go somewhere. We splurged and drove to Waco and got a room at the Hilton on the top floor. I love looking out at the river and all the Baptists. We have no agenda, but will see if a friend is available to say hi to, go to the wetlands, and maybe visit the craft village.

I’m very glad we went, because I got so much stuff done today that it made my head spin. I hope I did it all well! And not to vague-blog, but I practiced being authentic and saying how I really feel, nicely, to a scary audience, and I felt heard and encouraged. Thanks, Gabor Maté.

I’m sharing views from the hotel room because I haven’t left it. The hotel is being renovated, so we couldn’t eat at the restaurant we’d enjoyed last time we were here, so we had room service. I could enjoy my fancy meal in peace. Well worth it.

Annoying. Our room is freshly renovated but the mirror is really crooked. Levels exist for a reason.

I actually read another book today (small one) but I’ll save it for tomorrow. Instead, enjoy some caladium leaves. Lee has been buying them lately for the porch.

In what ways does hard work make you feel fulfilled?

I’m not going to answer a prompt every day this month, but at the end of today, I knew the answer to this one.

Hard work that leads to growth is fulfilling to me. Work for work’s sake, well, it’s a chance to practice mindfulness at best. I can mentally go to my happy place while doing drudge work.

The work I’ve been doing the past few years with horses has been hard, really hard. It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone both mentally and physically. Horses are beautiful and smell good, but they are weird and unpredictable (even for people who know them well).

I was just chatting with a fellow student of Tarrin’s tonight, and we were commiserating about our setbacks this summer and how hard it is to regain confidence when you feel like you can’t trust your horse. We both know we will have to work hard on it, but we pointed out how many obstacles we each have overcome so far. That helps, reminders from others!

As for other kinds of hard work, like actual work and volunteer work, of course it helps if I learn and grow from it. I am fulfilled if my efforts are appreciated or help others. That’s why I like teaching people. You can see that the students have new skills or knowledge that will enrich them. Teaching knitting really exemplifies this. You give someone a lifelong hobby!

Then they can make giant year-long blankets.

My Master Naturalist work is often hard, but wow is it fulfilling to know so much about my surroundings and it’s great to be able to help others ID plants and birds or understand more about the local ecosystem.

For example, I know these rocks, which look like potatoes to me, are what’s in the soil here.

As for today, I took a long walk in the woods, got to enjoy Apache’s previous rider, Kayla, visit with him, and rode Drew around the pasture with only a little need for reassurance. (Backsliding was having trouble bridling after it went well for a few times in a row.)