Washington - A Break From Fern

"In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you." - Jack Kornfield

One of the highlights of my trip was spending time with my brother, Erik. We don't get to spend much time together, so this was a treat and an experience I will treasure. He lives in Tacoma and is a Chiropractor. I highly recommend him if you need to be adjusted. He has straightened me out numerous times. He had his work cut out after I had been on the road for so long! We went to some of his favorite places around the city and had delicious seafood. It was so fresh I couldn't get enough!

His friends were incredibly kind and offered me the apartment at their home for the remainder of my stay. It was an odd feeling, but it felt strange to leave Fern. I assume even the best relationships need some time apart, which was good for Fern and me. 😊 Don't worry about Fern; she was doing well. She stayed in the driveway of a gated neighborhood with more wonderful friends of Erik's.

When I first arrived, the smoke was still intense. I had no idea the view I had from their home until days later. They live in Steilacoom. It was a charming little suburb with quaint coffee shops and restaurants. I loved it!

Let's say I got over missing Fern very quickly. You would have thought I would have been most excited about sleeping in a real bed, but no, it was the bathroom. My very own bathroom! What I once had never thought about becoming a luxury in my life.

Let me share with you how a typical night goes for me. I go to the campsite restroom before I go to sleep. (If I'm lucky, I don't have to walk a mile to the nearest one.) I wake up in the middle of the night because I have to make another trip to the restroom. I tell myself I don't have to go because it's cold outside, and a huge inconvenience to get bundled up and walk to the bathroom. Plus, will I be able to go back to sleep once I'm awake? So many obstacles. So I talk myself into going back to sleep. An hour later, I woke up, and we had the same conversation. "No, you don't have to go to the restroom. You'll be fine. Go back to sleep." I have this same conversation no less than five times a night. Once 6:00 rolls around, I allow myself to make the journey to the restroom.

Now you can't imagine just how elated I was at the prospect of waking up and walking to mere feet to the restroom. Also, I do not have to get fully dressed and put shoes and a coat on. It was glorious, I'll tell you!

Not only did Erik's friends let me stay at the apartment at their home, but they also invited me to dinner. They were such a fun couple and had the sweetest little boy. Erik and I spent two evenings at their home. I couldn't be more grateful for their generosity.

I took a day and explored while my brother was working. I had breakfast at the coziest place called Topside Coffee Cabin. The quiche was incredibly creamy and delicious, and my caramel macchiato was rich and flavorful. I'm not an official food critic by any means, but I highly recommend this place if you are in the area. It was suggested that I check out Point Ruston. It is a shopping area with views of South Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, and Mount Rainier (I am told) on a clear day. It was smoky, so I was just able to see the Sound.

I was in a shop trying something on when I overheard a conversation between two women. One said she was late getting there because she saw a whale on her walk! I thought to myself; I must have misunderstood what she said. I quickly dressed and asked the lady at the counter if there were whales in the waters nearby. She said, "Oh, Yes. We have had a humpback camped out here for over a month." I asked when he made his appearance and if I could schedule an appointment, but she didn't find the humor in my question.

I quickly made my way to these rocks with a cup of coffee and waited for my friend's arrival, but I was sadly disappointed. I like to think he was there; I couldn't see him through the smoke.

I met a woman in another shop who had a heartwarming life story. She found out she had B Cell Lymphoma only after waking up in severe pain in the middle of the night. She went to the ER only to discover cancer had spread throughout her body. She was in Stage 4. She was told the only possible chance of survival was to start chemotherapy immediately. Unfortunately, she did not have health insurance. She was told they don't give chemo away for free and sent her home! Can you even imagine?!

This woman was a survivor! She went home, researched holistic methods of healing her body, and sought out God and anyone who would pray for and over her. It took months for her to qualify for health insurance. When she did, she returned to the hospital to be scanned again. To everyone's amazement, 60% of the tumors were gone. My new friend was not surprised! She was torn about whether to start the chemotherapy treatments, but in the end, she did. Now she is completely healed and in remission. She left an unhealthy marriage, moved to Washington, and is now living life to the fullest. She is such an inspiration to me.

There were many lessons in her story, but one I took with me was that you never know what others are dealing with in their lives. People are dealing with significant issues all around us. This beautiful woman had been through it but was so kind and caring. I met another young gentleman who was checking me in at a campsite. He came across as aloof and not caring about my questions or his job. He referred me to someone else to help me. When I mentioned that he wasn't accommodating, I was told he was on the spectrum. Again... Another lesson learned. We all have "stuff" in our lives; let's give each other some grace on the bad days when we can't put a smile on our faces.

Stay Wild 🌿