the gift of solace

solace while sitting down // gifts given without expiration dates

It was one card, $20, and some hundreds of miles later that landed me on a stand-up paddleboard on South Lake Tahoe.

I graduated high school in May of 2014. I was fortunate to have many people from both near and far, to help me celebrate the momentous occasion…and at some point in my life, apart from our State title, that was the biggest thing that I had accomplished thus far. Don’t get me wrong, I think that graduating high school is a huge accomplishment, but in the grand scheme of things, I believe that we are all on a journey far larger and more important than having high school be the shining moment of our lives.

Upon my graduation, I received a two part gift from my Uncle Geoff. Geoff is his own force of nature, never faltering to step up to any mental or physical challenge that he encounters and always actively seeking those that he feels will be most rewarding. He inspires me to use my words to shed light. He empowers me to get up and get active because my body is capable. He shows me that my love for Jesus and faith doesn’t have to be something that is always talked about, but rather shown in my actions. If you’ve met him, you will know that your life was just a little bit better because of that interaction. He breathes light into life in the most vibrant ways. For my graduation, he asked me where I loved to be and immediately, no questions asked, I responded by telling him that I loved the water.

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The water is my sanctuary. It’s the place where I can feel most humbled, relaxed, and at peace even when my inner feelings are screaming in turmoil. It sets my perspective on the moment and brings me into a serene place of mind where I let all things go.   It started when I was young. I had always wanted to be a mermaid, lost at sea, swimming with the fish, inhibitions free. I truly thrived in the water, so naturally, it would make sense that this would be where now, even many years later, I find solace.

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He gave me two gifts. The first being my graduation invite, framed. The message on the back is what is forever something that I have to remind myself of and although I cannot quote it word for word, I can do my best to encapsulate the overarching message :

This is an exciting time in your life. There are huge milestones in life that will occur and I am grateful to be part of this one, but the journey ahead of you will be just as big and important, if not more, and I can’t wait to watch it unfold.

and the second gift, was a card, with a neat $20 bill, with a note that said, “Must be used to kayak on a river,”

and I knew, without a doubt, that I had to save it for the time that I would need it most.

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fast forward three years & hundreds of miles later

We were sitting on the couch in Kansas on the ranch where my Grandfather was getting married and we were chatting about life. I had so much that I wanted to say and had so much that I didn’t know how to say, but I knew that there was one thing that I could share that would resonate with him :

my heart was longing for the west coast and I wanted to experience Lake Tahoe…and I was making it happen.

and later, when we got home and I was preparing to leave for my trip, I found that card and made the decision that paddle-boarding on Tahoe would be the best kind of substitute for kayaking on a river, and I knew that Geoff would understand.

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There I was, sitting on a board, because the waves were much too choppy to stand, with my feet in the water, seeing the mountains, and basking in the sunshine and I was just enjoying that moment. Enjoying that there are people in my life who understand the importance of small moments that mean so much more than their price tag. The people who get that a soul space is a thing that once found, cannot be escaped. Those who embrace the power of nature on both physical and mental health. Those who are humbled by the sheer vastness of our beautiful world and who choose to relish in all that it has to offer.

So Geoff, this was a priceless gift and although it took me three years and hundreds of miles to experience it, it was well worth the wait. My heart, if even for that hour, was in a place of nourishment on the water that can never be replaced.

Thank you for sharing in the journey and inspiring the world around you.

You’re a gift in my life & I hope that this 50th year is nothing short of that; a gift.

Absolutely all of my love.

xo jo