A tree along the Salmon River trail that has brought me great inspiration
I have to say, I was a little nervous that I was going to have a difficult detox time. I'd been a little rough on my body; summer parties, going out to eat, whoopie pies... lots of whoopie pies from Dovetail. But I was planning this with my friend Sara, and knew it was going to at least be a fun adventure with little pressure except to do what I needed to do for my health and well being.
We finally settled that Saturday was going to be the day to start. I got to take that first day nice and slow at home. Was feeling really great. made some delicious beverages, and got a good nights rest. Good start.
Many of you who know me, know that I don't always make the best decisions, but I will make the most fun decision available to me. This leads to day 2.
Two of our dear friends were moving to Seattle, and embarking on a new life together. So we go over to house number 1 and load up a U-Haul with her things. Then we go to house number 2 and load those things into the truck. We started at like 10 am and things were going quick. I think we were done loading both houses up, and with house 1 cleaned by around 1 pm. Then it was lunch time, and I was out of juice in a couple ways.
I get spoiled with a juice cart right outside the door from the co-op, and a 5 minute bike ride from my house. Not on Alberta, at least not that day. Sip is now open at their Alberta location, and you should go check them out! But they were not open that day. The other options I thought I had, no longer served fresh juice. In the past I would have run into Alberta Food Co-Op and grabbed a bottle of juice, but not now. Nope, no packaged juice for me.
So I sat with a mixture of some Vitamin Mineral Greens that I packed just in case of an emergency, while we planned what river we were going to go splash in. So next fun choice... go swimming, but first pick up some things.... like beer and some snacks.
Here I would actually like to pat myself on the back. I sat at a table with 4 great friends while they ate some of my favorite burritos and I was actually fine with it. Then laying on the beach of a river with cold beer, one of my favorite activities, and I was not even pining for one at all.
The day moves into night, and I am getting loopy. The silliest things were cracking me up. I wasn't grumpy, edgy, or anything. But, I think, I was fairly entertaining.
We eventually ended up back on Alberta to pick up the partner of the couple that was my ride. So I requested that maybe we could wait at Townshend's Tea where I could at least sip on some herb tea. It was some damn good tea! We didn't want the night to end. If it did then we were going to have to finally say "see you later" to two amazing people that we had no idea when later was going to be.
It was somewhere between 9 and 10 pm when I finally got on my bike (yes, I still had a short bike ride to go) and got home. I made a cup of miso broth and passed out, and slept fantastic!
Day 3 I figure working 10 hours should be no problem. Where I got that idea I have no idea. Thank goodness that Sip is right outside the door because I had at least one juice from them that day. For the life of me I couldn't figure out why I was so weak, and had a low grade headache, but I pushed on. I was still feeling really good and really goofy.
Day 4 I went slower and drank more, and just felt so amazing.... so freaking GOOD! And that is how I finished this adventure days later. Feeling fantastic and light and, as one friend observed, soft. And it is true, I feel softer than I have felt in so many ways... and gentle.... grateful. And as I type this the words of Mumford & Sons "where you invest your love, you invest your life" plays and it is true. I have invested my love in good friends and good food, and I have an amazing life.
Some early observations that I had before I actually even started this; what kind of privilege do I have that I GET to choose to "fast", to choose to feel hunger and embrace the feeling. So not only, do I get to choose a vast array of food to eat (and organic/vegan at that) when I do eat, but now I choose NOT to eat. How many people in this world get to choose to be hungry.
The other thing that I have been struggling with for a number of years, is that the American "culture" may be the only one that does not have some kind of fasting "holiday" or "celebration". It does not surprise me that Ramadan began somewhere during this "reboot". I've been trying to decide on a time of the year, every year, that I fast in some way. I'm leaning toward the over consumption time of Thanksgiving or Christmas. Thanksgiving seems like a good time. Seems like a good way to give thanks.
So I spent 6 or 7 days totally out of the consumption loop. Yesterday I decided I wanted to go for a long walk toward Mt. Tabor park. As I went up Hawthorne, I was struck with all the people running around trying to consume so many things. Some of it was food and beverages, but for some reason the consumptions of "things" got me. So much wanting. It usually gets to me and is one reason I avoid these areas, but for some reason it really got to me. The smells of things people buy to put on their bodies. The layers of cloths that people cover their bodies with. All the tiny gadgets people feel the need to move through the world with. It was so overwhelming.
Reality is a bitch sometimes! I filled up my water bottle from the tap and headed to a park where I found a quiet place to lay down and read a book from the library. Eventually I laid back and watched the sky as I floated off to a daydream. I was awakened with a tickle on my ankle. When I looked down, I saw a wasp wondering around the nook on the front of my ankle, drinking up the sweat. I sat there and enjoyed the sensation of offering a drink to a great little being. These six days have fundementaly changed me. I am embracing the softness.
A great thanks to Sara for being one of the best reboot buddies a kid could ask for! You are a juicy friend!
