Renewal

When a candle has been lit for too long, it exhausts itself and eventually burns out. That’s how Bonnie and I have been feeling: so many major projects in the works, so many things to do, so many appointments. Then there was the car crash, which I wrote about last week. On top of all this, we're selling our house and buying another one.

More than ever, we needed a break.

As luck would have it, the soul-recharging respite we needed was waiting for us – planned by us in advance, as if we knew when our future selves might be needing it most.

The plans called for a weekend getaway to Highlands, a picturesque town in North Carolina’s Appalachian Mountains. There was just one problem: Coming just a week after the car accident, we weren’t sure we felt up to making the three-and-a-half-hour drive. We're glad we decided to do it.

In the cool mountain temperatures, we found welcome relief from the summer heat. We sipped wine and enjoyed delicious meals. We browsed the shops and galleries in town. And we visited several of the nine waterfalls within 10 miles of Highlands.

Walking on a trail behind Dry Falls, we looked out through the cascading water and felt the cool spray on our faces. It was a cool, refreshing balm for the soul.

It makes me wonder: Why is it that we diligently renew our licenses, registrations and favorite subscriptions … but we take so precious little time to renew ourselves?

---

If you enjoyed this post, consider sharing it with a friend or posting to your social media account.