Well, we made it.  We will be heading home in the next day or two so this will be my last post.  The last post of the final trip on this part of my journey.  Looking back, it has been amazing what Grace and I have accomplished….The journey began two summers ago when we made our first trip to the Southeast.  Then exactly one year later we explored the Great Lakes Region and then on to New England that fall.  Now, we have tackled the West.  We have been to 35 states, 30 state parks, 25 national or state forests, 19 mountain ranges, 12 national parks, 75 hotels, and countless beaches, rivers, lakes, and streams.  We have traveled for approximately 12 weeks, over the course of 3 summers, driving over 25,000 miles.  If it sounds like alot, it is because it is…..and we are both exhilarated and exhausted.  These trips have not been without fear, sadness, anxiety, frustration, anger, joy, bliss, peace, contentment, and serenity.

I have been blessed by two forms of Grace.  The Grace of God and of course my number one companion and confidant, my dog, Grace.  I wrote in the beginning that the definition of Grace is;  an indispensable gift from God for development, improvement, and character expansion. Without God’s Grace, there are certain limitations, weaknesses, flaws, faults, impurities humankind cannot overcome.  I have a far better understanding of the meaning of those words after this experience into deep self inquiry.

I heard Carolyn Myss describe Grace as the breath of God – an invisible essence beyond intellect that moves swiftly amongst us.  Grace is not earned it is given and it is accessible to each of us everyday.  I felt Grace everywhere I went on this journey and it lives abundantly in nature.  These trips were about challenging myself to go deeper and create the time and space to align myself with the spiritual principles that mean so much to me.  Ekhart Tolle says, “As far as inner transformation is concerned, there is nothing you can do about it. You cannot transform yourself, and you certainly cannot transform your partner or anybody else. All you can do is create a space for transformation to happen, for grace and love to enter.”  Understanding the spiritual principles and living them are two totally different worlds.  Everyday you are challenged, and it is easy to fall into habitual ways of thinking or default behaviors.  It takes a strong will and an undying faith to let go of what you know in order to allow room for a new way of being.  Being in solitude forces you to confront yourself in a way that can be alarming and difficult.

My dog Grace has been the best healer, teacher, friend, guide, companion, and confidant that I could have ever asked for you.  She is divine energy in action.  Her unconditional love and patience has been one of the greatest gifts in my life.  Her ability to look at every situation and attack it with love and joy is inspiring to say the least.  This journey has bonded us in a way that cannot be understood or replaced.  She has seen me at my worst and at my best.  I am forever indebted to her and I thank God everyday for her presence in my life.  She has taught me the importance of the present moment and the power of living through your senses.  She has helped me let go of fear and illustrates non-judgment in everything she does.  She embodies the very essence of Grace.

I want to thank everyone who has supported, loved, tolerated, guided, advised, prayed, and witnessed this very process.  I am eternally grateful.  I have yearned for a “home” and I found one that is far better than I could have ever imagined.

“Grace means more than gifts. In grace something is transcended, once and for all overcome. Grace happens in spite of something; it happens in spite of separateness and alienation. Grace means that life is once again united with life, self is reconciled with self. Grace means accepting the abandoned one. Grace transforms fate into a meaningful vocation. It transforms guilt to trust and courage. The word grace has something triumphant in it.”

- Yrjo Kalliner

Peace and Blessings

Suzanne and Grace

In the words of one of my favorite poets, Robert Frost……

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

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Well, our trip is quickly coming to an end.  We should be home at some point this weekend.  Today mostly rained so we got alot of driving in.  We stopped in Illinois at Starved Rock State Park for a hike to break the monotony of the driving.  It was cloudy and humid but the trail was great.  A 3 mile wooden boardwalk in the middle of a forest next to the Mississippi River.  After our walk we tried to make it to Ohio before dark but didn’t quite get there.

I am filled with mixed emotion that this is the end of this part of our journey.  The fourth and final trip.  I know that the journey will continue in a different way but this time has been very special for me and for Grace.  Today as I drove I thought back over the last three years when this journey first began.  I contemplated all the spiritual principles this journey has taught me and the importance of integrating them into my life.  Not only when I travel but always……

• As I said last night, the importance of holding a Vision…There are signs and symbols placed in your path to direct you.
• Stay Awake….begin to live more consciously.
• Surrender….Be willing to let go of your attachments to outcomes and allow the natural flow of life to take place.
• Stay Present….know that this right now moment is the only one that matters.
• Have Compassion… for yourself, others, and the planet that sustains us.
• You always have a Choice…for every action there is a reaction so choose wisely.
• Love….with all your heart.
• Have Faith…Everything happens for a reason and you don’t always have to have the immediate answers.
• Be Mindful…be aware that all your thoughts and actions are producing an outcome.  Is it the one you want?
• Be willing to Grow…Every experience has a lesson behind it.  Learn what you need to learn and move forward.
• Trust…your own intuition and that there is a divine presence working within you.
• Find Balance…between action and stillness.  That is where you will find peace.
• Develop Strength…Face your fears.  Every challenge is a blessing and a gift.
• Learn Patience….Trust in divine timing.  Things don’t always occur when you want them to.
• Foster Commitment….Stay connected to yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  Without practice and discipline you can never accomplish what you set out to do.
• Never be without Gratitude….Be thankful for all your blessings and challenges.  Never take for granted that they have been given to you in order to lead you toward your wholeness.

These are just some of the lessons that my journey has taught me.  Nature, animals and silence are wonderful teachers.  When you are still long enough you can gain proper perspective and begin to understand that everything is designed to support our spiritual evolution.  Most of all don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

“No thought, no action, no movement, total stillness: only thus can one manifest the true nature and law of things from within and unconsciously, and at last become one with heaven and earth.”     Lao Tzu

Peace and Blessings

Suzanne and Grace

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Today Grace and I spent most of the day viewing beautiful farm land in Minnesota and along the Mississippi River in Wisconsin.  This area is Laura Ingalls Wilder country and for those of you who never watched Little House on the Prairie, shame on you.  I read all the Wilder books as a kid and had a huge crush on Michael Landon during the show.  I felt right at home.  We stopped and hiked even though the sky was foreboding and rained off and on.  We landed in Iowa for the night and will head into Illinois and Indiana tomorrow. We are both very tired at this point and I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed.  We have been on the road a long time and so much has transpired over the last several weeks.  It feels like we have been away for months.

I have held a vision for these trips and all of them have offered a new perspective on life.  Each in a different way.  They have given me a new direction in life and for that I am truly grateful. Vision is everything. It gives you a dream to pursue and a goal to achieve. It helps you overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and keeps you holding on when the going gets tough. It is important for each of us to hold a vision for ourselves and for the world as a whole.  The clearer we become in our own lives the less we contribute to the chaos of this planet.   So if you only had today, how would you choose to spend it?

“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.”

Joel Barker

Peace and Blessings

Suzanne and Grace

“Vision looks inward and becomes duty. Vision looks outward and becomes aspiration. Vision looks upward and becomes faith.”

Stephen Wise

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Last night was spectacular.  First, we watched one of the most amazing sunsets that I have ever seen and then Grace and I went with a group of people to get an astronomy lesson from one of the park rangers about the stars.  The Badlands are known for their “dark Skies.”  We were exposed to more than 7,500 stars. Especially phenomenal is the clarity of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Night sky views include not only galaxies but also star clusters, nebulae, planets and moons. We also saw fly-overs by numerous satellites and the International Space Station.  Very cool.  The ranger talked about the fact that in most parts of the country you cannot see this many stars due to pollution, and if it continues, we may not have these opportunities even in South Dakota.

We stayed in a cabin in the park and had to be escorted back by flashlight due to the numerous rattlesnakes in the area…….

Today we got up early and watched the sunrise and started out to explore the park before it got too hot.  It isn’t one of the most beautiful parks that I have seen but it certainly holds an energy that is palpable.  Almost eerily so.  Badlands National Park preserves 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States.  The Badlands is also the home of the Wounded Knee Massacre, where the Lakota Sioux tribe was attacked.   By the time it was over, at least 150 men, women, and children of the Lakota Sioux had been killed and 51 wounded.  The Lakotas still run the lodge that I stayed at and they consider these grounds to be sacred.

We then started our drive back east.  We plan to be back in New York at some point this weekend.  Grace and I are both exhausted on every level.  This journey has been challenging, amazing, eye opening, enriching, enlightening, frightening and on and on…… you get the point.

Life itself is a journey, a pilgrimage, a sacred adventure and we are all on a path of our own choosing.  A remarkable journey that takes us up and down a road of happiness, growth, personal interaction, love, fear and sometimes pain and hardship, which comes with all the good we are blessed with. Everyone has their own journey, yet we all experience the same emotions and struggles that are synonymous with life.

Life is a continuous journey of wonderful experiences that shape us.  We should always embrace our joys and sorrows, knowing that it is all part of where we are going and who we are. The happiness that we feel and the many emotions we have will take us up and down this magnificent road of beauty, love, peace, joy and loss that is all  truly part of life’s journey.  Every step along the way should be savored, understood and enjoyed as it is meant to be.  Never take a single moment for granted.

~ Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time. ~

Lyndon Johnson

Peace and Blessings

Suzanne and Grace

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Today Grace and I spent the day in the Black Hills Forest of South Dakota.  It was a beautiful area and we got to hike in a fragrant pine forest.  We then went and did a short hike to a lake for Grace to swim.  I was fortunate once again to see some magnificent wildlife that is indigenous to this area.  We then drove into The Badlands National Park.  It is nothing so far than desert and mounds of clay.  We will explore the park tomorrow.

This entry needs to be brief as I am having to sit outside a restaurant in order to get the slightest signal.  We are staying in the park so there isn’t any service anywhere.  All I can say is I am heading out tonight with Grace and one of the park rangers to hear about the stars and this magnificent open sky.

This is a dream for me and anyone who has one tucked away somewhere, please, now is the time to bring it forth.  Dreams are only fruitful if we bring them to life.  Acknowledge your dreams that live inside of you – nurture them, give them energy and work on them every day.  Don’t let fear or excuses hold you back.  The time is now.  It is the only time we’ve got.

Peace and Blessings

Suzanne and Grace

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” [Slideshow]

Last night, after we watched the sun go down in Yellowstone, Grace and I headed out of the park to find the ranch we would be staying at for the night.  I didn’t expect to stay in Yellowstone so long but the sunset was so beautiful I couldn’t resist.  Coming out of the park it was pitch black and we had to come down a mountain pass that was fairly treacherous.  I had no cell service and it was getting late.  There were no towns or signs so needless to say we got a little lost.  Finally, I saw a light in the distance and told myself that I would go in there and ask.  It ended up being the ranch.  The owners were great and they brought me to my cabin.  Since it was so dark I had no idea the amazing view I had until I woke up this morning.  They left breakfast on the porch for me when I got up.  The only downside was that I didn’t sleep well due to Grace growling every time the coyotes howled.  It was as if they were right outside our door!!!

Since I couldn’t hike the backcountry, I asked one of the owners if I could go up the mountain on horseback.  They agreed and a girl named Jen from Pennsylvania who was working there for the summer took me up.  It was beautiful.  Even better on horseback.  It felt good to be in the old saddle again.  My horses name was “Pearl” and she was a stunning bay quarter horse.  As we rode down the mountain a wind and rain storm started so we got back just in time.  Grace had made a couple of her own friends and was fitting in perfectly at the ranch.  She even has become less fearful of the horses…..

When we left, we drove into Cody, the home of Buffalo Bill.  I took Grace for a swim on the crystal blue Shoshone River.  Our drive towards South Dakota took us into the Black Hills of Wyoming and miles and miles of picture perfect farm land.  I have to say Wyoming is quickly becoming one of my favorite places.

As I rode in the mountain today I thought about how the simplest things have the most impact.  One of the gifts that nature brings is the way it engages all of your senses.  It heightens the smells, sounds, tastes etc.  There is no shortage of beauty out here and I feel more grateful than ever.  The abundance of life is everywhere you turn.  I thought about what we need to focus on most;  Be thankful for what you have today, When you loose – think of what was gained from that loss, Understand and respect yourself, Share your knowledge and Love, Embrace silence, Welcome change…yet do not forget who you really are in terms of your values,  Stop tolerating and take risks, and most of all laugh every chance you get.  There really is no need to complain because if we understood that everything is exactly as it should be for our highest and greatest good, then what is there to complain about??

“Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies.”  ~Erich Fromm

Peace and Blessings,

Suzanne and Grace

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It is difficult to even know where to start……

Last night I went out in Jackson Hole to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and met some people who showed me a around a little bit.  This is a great town!!!  Good food, great shops, and completely surrounded by some of the most beautiful nature I have ever seen.  My mother will be happy to hear that several people warned me not to hike alone, in fact, they strongly recommend that you go out in at least groups of three.  Hiking here is no joke!!!  So with that being said, it was suggested I take Grace up the ski mountain where I am staying for some exercise and to take in great views of the valley, and then I could head into the tetons and take her on shorter strolls near the turnouts.  So that’s what we did.

First, the hike up the ski mountain was no little jaunt.  Twenty two hundred feet straight up.  The wind was strong and my teeth started hurting cause of the rapid elevation.  The views were lovely and Grace got what she needed.

The rest of the day can be summed up in one word…MAGICAL.  I have never experienced anything like this.  First, we entered The Grand Teton National Park.  I was surrounded by pure bliss.  The mountains, the rivers, the crystal clear lakes, the array of wild birds, wildflowers everywhere, white aspen trees, the greenest of greens and the bluest of blues.  Need I say more.  The snow-capped mountains were a constant backdrop for the ride.  Grace was ecstatic because the temperature was a mild seventy three.

Then we entered Yellowstone National Park.  Where there was a picture around every corner.  A photographers dream.  Grace swam, we walked, we met lots of people, we watched the sun go down, met all kinds of wildlife, and all I can say is that the whole experience made me extremely emotional.  I feel like I spent the day in heaven.  There was so much abundance and everyone around me seemed to be having experiences of their own.  Countless souls enjoying the best of what God has created.

Happiness is an emotion and is fleeting.  Joy is a state of being.  Our birthright.  Joy comes from within and is a gift from divine presence.  I never felt that stronger than today.  Eckhart Tolle explains it best;  When you make the present moment, instead of past and future, the focal point of your life, your ability to enjoy what you do — and with it the quality of your life — increases dramatically. Joy is the dynamic aspect of Being. When the creative power of the universe becomes conscious of itself, it manifests as joy. You don’t have to wait for something “meaningful” to come into your life so that you can finally enjoy what you do. There is more meaning in joy than you will ever need.

“Joy does not come from what you do, it flows into what you do and thus into this world from deep within you.”

I am sooooooooo grateful for this experience and know that it has forever changed my life.

“I am stepping out of fear…the journey of ones souls passage through time…this is one lone dreamer…learning to fly.”

Peace and Blessings,

Suzanne and Grace

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