Country Roads, Take Me Home

Home is a concept that I’ve contemplated on throughout my life but have really been digging deep into this past year. I’ve often had a feeling of being “homesick,” but never really had a place that I associated as being THE place that would alleviate this feeling. I’m fairly adaptable, and can find things I appreciate in most of the places I visit or live, but have never really declared one as being my TRUE or forever home.

I was sometimes jealous of the people I know who love and identify with where they are from or where they are living and know that there is nowhere else they would rather be. A friend once asked me what I was running away from. They had the interpretation that my constant wandering was a result of having things I didn’t want to face. I used to worry that my wandering was a result of seeking something that I couldn’t seem to find. But what if wandering is simply a way to connect to different parts of myself?

This is the view I took for this last portion of our current journey which involved connecting with our people, but also places from our past.

Our route looked like this:

From the mountains and waterfalls of Jasper, we made our way into the prairies stopping first in Lacombe. This wasn’t about exploring a city, but about visiting friends I haven’t had a chance to see since their wedding (their son is now 8 years old!!)

After a really great visit, we passed through our old stompin’ grounds of Calgary (where B-Rod and I both did some post secondary education), picked up some samosas (we know a place 😁) and headed to Nanton where I had spent the first 18 years of my life.

Though we spent most of our time with my parents, we did discover that Nanton has a frisbee golf course! So, of course we had to try it! For the most part it was pretty good, but there is a section which I’m sure they will find a frisbee or two that people gave up on looking for.

*** note . . . no frisbees were left behind over the course of this game (though a couple came pretty close)

From my hometown, we headed to B-Rod’s hometown of Medicine Hat. While B-Rod’s connection to this place may be from his childhood memories, I have a connection and fondness for this city because of all the amazing friends I made here as well as the journey of my yoga practice and teaching starting here. We spent our days visiting family (there ended up being an impromptu mini family reunion as a few of B-Rod’s siblings happened to be in town at the same time as us), friends, going to the places we used to hang out at and checking out some of the newer things around the city.

Our next stop is a place we’ve been to before, but we had always wanted to camp at. Now we have, and I’m declaring it here and now . . . . . .

This is my FAVOURITE spot in all of Alberta!!! Not only is it an area that surprises you (you don’t expect it to be there), it is a sacred place for the Blackfoot people. Writing-on-Stone/Áísínai’pi is a provincial park in AB and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019. It is known for its concentration of rock art and characterized by its rock formations known as hoodoos.

I spent time hiking in the hoodoos on my own first thing in the morning (at sunrise) and one afternoon for hours! It’s not a large area, but I could have spent so many more hours here!

Writing-on-Stone is a place where vision quests happened and where the Blackfoot people believe spirit and rock beings reside.

One word I use to sum up my time at Writing-on-Stone . . . . magical!

Our last stop involved us being the first official guests at B-Rod’s sister’s new full time home in Grand Forks. It was another great visit with a mini-reunion of our nephew and his family also stopping by on their way through town.

We officially ended our exploration with a frisbee golf course in Grand Forks that we’ve played at before and really like.

It has been an amazing journey which had a few themes that ran throughout.

• Our superpower this summer is that of rain makers! Though I didn’t mention it much in the blog, it rained almost everywhere we went – many of the days we were in Haida Gwaii, a downpour the night we were in Jasper, a thunderstorm in Lacombe, rain to break the heat spell in Medicine Hat and now we’ve brought it back to Kelowna (where it is desperately needed). While most people we know have experienced an extra hot, dry summer, we only lived that for a few weeks!
• Connection with nature, Hank and our people. I’m so grateful for the different landscapes I got to be in, my new appreciation for Hank and our people that we got to finally see in person after this weird period of time that has been the last year and a bit.

• Home . . . . remember how I’ve been working on where and what home is for me? I realized that I wander not because I’m running away from anything or necessarily searching for something. I wander because it brings me JOY. I have an appreciation for people who love and identify with where they are from or where they are living and know that there is nowhere else they would rather be. But, that’s not and never has been me and that’s ok. I appreciate places I’ve been and lived. I value friends and people who have impacted me along the way. But I had an ‘a-ha’ moment during this journey. There are three statments/beliefs I have been working on these last few months, and as long as I am centred and anchored into these beliefs . . . . . no matter where I’m at, no matter for how long or how short, whether I know anyone in these places or not . . . . I can choose to be home!!!