Day 9: Wyoming

Click here for intention stone video - ​https://youtu.be/WHuJYjtv9k4

Accountability

I have two special men in my life - my Dad and my husband. My cross-country, spiritual sojourn wasn’t easy for either one of them because they were concerned for my safety as a single womxn on these roads. To help ease the concern, I text every morning before I left, every time I stopped to stretch, and when I arrived. To tell the truth, I LOOOOOOVED the extra layer of accountability. It was as if they were right there with me every step of the way. I’m kinda spoiled like that. :) 

The trek to Wyoming from Nevada was going to be a long stretch and it also meant having to leave my daughter to continue on my solo route. Please note that Wyoming was not part of the original plan. It was added when I discovered the Human Nature exhibit in Lisle, IL. (more about that on Day 9).  But, as you can see in the text thread above, I felt like I would soon discover the “why” in Wyoming and was ready to empty and open myself to the lessons to come. The Universe did not disappoint; lessons were truly revealed.

​It was bound to happen, right? I was eventually going to eat something on this trip that didn’t agree with me. Sure enough; it happened!  

As my stomach turned and demanded that I immediately find a restroom, I was coming up against a series of winding roads with no rest stops. I noticed parks on both sides of the road but no Johnny on the Jobs. The first bend in the road yielded nothing. The second bend… nothing. The third bend…nothing. On that fourth turn, I said I was going to chance it and pull off the side of the road and HOPE that there was a restroom. No luck!!! (I did see a gorgeous waterfall!! But, I couldn’t enjoy it like I wanted to because my own water was about to fall!)

​I digressed. Let’s continue…

The Power of Manifestation

On the Fourth of July, we dined at the Waterfront Grill in Oakland, California. While taking in the beautiful surroundings, the lovely mimosas, and the perfect company, I noticed a stand up paddle boarder in the water. I immediately turned to my Lil Mama and Sonphew (Son + Nephew) and pointed out the amount of core strength and balance that that person must possess in order to ride that board. I was truly impressed! Little did I know that two days later, I would be presented with an opportunity to test my own core strength.

Remember my little rant above about the bathroom? Well, I finally found one. From the highway, I saw a restaurant and a body of water with people swimming, kayaking, playing on the inflatable, and camping out. With all of those people, I KNEW there was going to be a restroom. What I didn’t know was that there was going to be a $15 parking fee!  

Did I need to use the bathroom so desperately that I was willing to pay $15? HELL YES!!!!! I had to go!! Luckily, the attendant saw the urgency on my face and heard the desperation in my voice and let me park and use the bathroom. After I used the bathroom, I snapped a picture of the sunset over the mountains and proceeded to my car. What happened next was the beginning of my ‘why’ in Wyoming.

The following pictures tell it all. It’s me, a new friend, and a paddle board! The story behind the pictures frame the power of manifestation and the willingness to understand the difference between real fear and the acronym F.E.A.R - False Emotions Appearing Real.

To be honest, these photos were not captured INWyoming.
They were captured on the way TO Wyoming.

Releasing F.E.A.R.

When I walked out of the bathroom, I noticed a womxn holding a beautiful paddle board. After complementing the owner and sharing my experience from Oakland, California, she asked, without hesitation, “Do you wanna go out?” My immediate thought was a definite yes but my internal mind thought of all the things that should make me say ‘no’:

1. ​I don’t know this womxn!
2. If I’m in the water, she can steal my car.
3. If she steals my car, how will I continue my sojourn?
4. I don’t wanna spend $15 to park. Haha

After going back in forth between the internal dialogue, I settled on ‘no.” I didn’t want to explain this moment of spontaneity turned bad to my family. So, I told her no thanks and I walked back to the car. A few steps later, a voice exited my mouth and said, “Fuck it!” We are doing this! Release the fear and feel her spirit.” And that’s exactly what I did!!

By connecting to her true energy and trusting my deeper intuition, I changed my answer from no to yes and paddled out into a beautiful, calming body of water. While watching the sunset over the mountains in Utah, the “why” in Wyoming was immediately answered:

Chris, learn to trust your deeper intuition
while honoring the power of manifestation.