Hellooo writing muscles! It's been awhile. Here's my list of excuses.

I was on a two week vacation. Before that, I was in a frenzy to get ready for the trip which included a long (6 year) procrastinated on project: a letter of intent for Kyle. This opened up a can of worms and we ended up reviewing all of our life business and making some changes just two days before we left. Getting seated on that plane to Zurich was a definite PHEW!

We had an amazing vacation in Switzerland and France. In fact, three in one. Hiking the Alps, exploring Strasbourg, France on our own, and then rendezvousing with family in the little beach town of Hardelot, France. My husband Neil and I kept a travel blog: It's All About ALTITUDE, complete with photos and silly videos.

Returning to reality takes me awhile and is always a bit of a shock. I am now ready to start blogging and writing articles again. I hope you've had a chance to read my latest article, Silence. It originally came out in the July/August edition of AutismAsperger's Digest and is now on their website.

One of the things I experienced while on vacation, particularly hiking in Switzerland, was a calming of my constant mental chatter. I was aware of spending more time "in the moment" than in a long time and perhaps even than ever before. The scenery was absolutely spectacular. It was hard to be anywhere else while looking at those snow covered mountains and lush green hillsides. Some of the hiking was steep and narrow and required my full attention. We were on a small tour and there was interesting conversation with the others in our group. I found myself going with the flow and being IN the flow most of the time.

The "in the moment" experiences weren't necessarily all easy ones. Some were challenging such as how to figure out where a train platform was when you don't speak the language. Or climbing a steep set of winding stairs in the humidity. My mind was unable to go off on a ramble while listening intently for  french words I could understand within a conversation.

I came home feeling  renewed and refreshed. I noticed for awhile I did not have the normal level of mental chatter and fretting and it seemed my "in the moment" muscles had been strengthened. The vacation vapors were hanging around for awhile. Even when my steering began to malfunction on the freeway, I was able to calmly stay present and get myself to safety. So far, so good.

UNTIL.... my car dealership experience. It was at that point, the remains of my vacation mind dissolved and my "in the moment" place seemed to drift far away. It was bound to happen sooner or later.

Though it may sometimes feel inaccessible, I know that place is available in "regular" daily life. I just need to keep returning to my intention to create it. Hiking and yoga and breathing and real listening and overall slowing down are good ways to practice. It requires attention, intention, awareness, and focus. As always, it is a process and work in progress.

Kyle and I took a short walk last night. Phoenix was actually pleasant. It was a bit cooler with the smell and feeling of impending rain in the air. Afterwards, we sat on his favorite perch on the low brick wall outside our house.

No place to go, nothing to do. Just this. And voila, there it was! That feeling. We were, sitting together in silence and it was enough. Once again, I found myself "in the moment".

No Swiss Alps, no baguettes, no French beaches. Just this and this and this... in my own front yard. In the moment.

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Kyle knows very well how to be "in the moment".

PS I confess to missing the baguettes.

and my daughter