Cold Mornings, Long Highways, and JournalSpeak
I woke up around 4 a.m., bundled in my zero-degree sleeping bag--which, ironically, I had to climb out of bed to retrieve from one of the bins in the middle of the night. I didn't want to move. I was warm enough under the covers, and the idea of stepping into the cold air felt like too much effort. But I'm glad I did. I'm not sure how low the temperature dropped, but it turned pretty cold. Waking up rapped in that sleeping bag, I closed my eyes and spent some time meditating and reflecting on life.
Lately, I've been reading Mind Over Body by Nicole Sachs, a therapist who studied under the late Dr. John Sarno. Sarno became well known for his work on chronic pain and its deep connections to repressed emotional stress--how unresolved emotions can manifest as back pain, chronic fatigue, and other syndromes. Nicole takes this work further, offering a method of emotional expression called JournalSpeak. It's a raw, unfiltered approach to processing emotional trauma by writing honestly and privately. I've found it fascinating--and powerful. I highly recommend the book to anyone navigating chronic pain or emotional blocks.
Today's drive was uneventful but long. I hit a little traffic in Kansas City, but St. Louis and Topeka were easy. Driving across Kansas feels endless--second only, perhaps, to West Texas. The landscape rolls on in flat, repetitive stretches of farmland and prairie. It has its own quiet beauty, but it's definitely a test of endurance behind the wheel.
To pass the time, I've been listening to The Borrowed World series by Franklin Horton--a post-apocalyptic story that starts with a terrorist attack and follows a group of people trying to survive in the aftermath of societal collapse. I'm on book five now. It's not light reading, but it's compelling. As I listen, especially so far from home, I can't help but wonder: if something like that happened--how would I get back to Robin? Would I have the skills, the grit, the sheer will?
But for now, things are peaceful. Tonight I've landed at Cedar Bluff State Park in Kansas. I've found that state parks are often a great value--reasonably priced, safe, and you can almost always count on a hot shower.
Dinner was simple: a green-berry smoothie, a handful of nuts, and some dried fruit. I've already prepped breakfast for tomorrow--soaked oats with roasted pecans, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and nonfat dry milk. I portion out a couple of cups, pour in some soy milk, top it with yogurt, and let it chill overnight in the fridge. It's one of my favorite road breakfasts--nutritious, easy, and ready to go in the morning.
Cedar Bluff State Park