Day 6: A guest post from the OG January Baby

Good Morning Challengers! Hope you had a wonderful weekend. Today's post is all the way from Banff, Alberta from the OG January Baby Robyn.

Another outdoors everyday challenge!Congratulations to my Mom for keeping this up for all these years. I had previously written a guest blog post years ago, and was asked to do another, so here we go! Today, I am talking about appreciation and gratitude, two things my mother will probably roll her eyes at for being cliche! I have actually heard her say 'F*** gratitude' which is taken out of context, but remains a favourite Anna Redish quote of mine. 
I want to talk about those topics, because it has been a big change for me. I like to think I've always been an appreciative person, but that was always shadowed by a little bit of resentment! Like my mother and father before me, I am an outdoorsy person. I love being outside, going for walks, hiking, biking. 
The resentment part comes in the shape of one of the largest cities in North America, and built over my 24 years of feeling stuck there. 
"Oh let's go for a hike" meant taking the subway and city bus, to a manicured short walk in the 'woods' where the white noise of traffic overpowered that of birds, or silence."I'll ride my bike to the lake" meant impatiently trying to dodge people walking in the bike lane. Any time I wanted to be outside, it just meant crowds, loud noise, traffic. It was not peaceful and I felt that was what I was always looking for.

Now, this past summer I somehow mustered up the courage to move across the country, where I ended up in a small tourist mountain town. When the idea to leave Toronto was still a little seed, I came across piles of artwork I had made as a teenager, and the consistent theme was mountains. Collages, poems, lyrics from John Denver songs, all pertaining to mountains. 
When you come from the city, where you can't see a landscape further than the apartment building across the street from you, it can lead to dreaming about seeing something larger, something further. Something not man-made and gray. I don't mean to hate on the city, not completely...I think. Rather, I felt like I was not in a place where I could adequately fill up my 'appreciation for being outside' bucket.I was only here for a few weeks before -40 degree weather hit, but in those weeks when I had days off from my job, I would start walking and only turn around when the sun started to go down. I was able to wander without google maps, usually unprepared, usually bringing a book rather than lunch. Many times in the weeks of no-jacket weather, I found myself in the middle of nowhere, with no one around me. I would sit on the riverbank and listen to the running water, and I would walk on left-alone trails where I didn't see any people (though I did get stuck behind a herd of elk!)I would see views that photos won't do justice. The bluest water, the clearest skies, the mountain air, the possibility of running into actual bears. It all filled my appreciation bucket to the brim, and spilled over.Even now, in the middle of winter, when day-long hikes are not realistic, I can watch the sunset over the mountains from my bedroom window, and on my late night walk to the gas station for snacks, I can make out the dark shapes of the mountains surrounding me. I have found that if you cannot change where you are, change how you feel about it.
I somehow managed to change where I was, and it was worth it. 
Go appreciate something outside. If it can't be the views from halfway up a mountain, then let it be the snowman that the kids down the street made, or let it be the slush on the road as you walk to your car. Be grateful (yes mom even you!)
Oh and the photo prompt? There's supposed to be a photo prompt right?
Take a photo of yourself smiling with gratitude, or a photo of something outdoors that you appreciated.Just go outside.

1 Response

Jenny

February 17, 2023

Wow!! What an excellent writer you are Robyn. I think I understand what you mean about being outdoors in the city. My daughter, Caitlin tried to explain it toe as well but your explanation really hits home. I envy you! Thanks!

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