Our kids left over a week ago to spend time with family down in the Carolinas. I had all of these plans to get things done while they're gone, and so far, I've done pretty well sticking to the plan. One thing that has been very time consuming is becoming good at the coupon game. I have so much to share about what I've learned and the many resources I've come across in helping me start finding free money! However, that's not what's on my mind right now.
What's really been haunting me for the last few months (or maybe years is more accurate) is what I want to be when I grow up. I know I've touched on that, but it's really getting to me lately. I've never really be able to tell anyone what I'm passionate about (aside from my family, of course). Some say, "Do what you love." I say, "How do I know what that is?" It's extremely frustrating to be 35 and feel like you don't know yourself well enough to know "what you love". For me, it's not a good feeling.
The day that my husband and I left our kids with my mom and aunt, he drove me to the Detroit area to attend a Lavender Festival. He was less than thrilled about it, but he was such a good sport! I never have time to do things like that, and the kids would not have been for it. So, I talked him into taking me. It was wonderful! It was on a huge working farm, and it had lots of vendors. Some made lavender edibles, some made lavender home and personal care items, and some had other wares available. I ended up leaving with a handmade purse (as I have a slight addiction with bags! shhh!). They also had several workshops and speakers who explained things such as cooking with lavender, growing and harvesting lavender, and healthful uses of lavender. If I didn't get to experience but one thing while we were there, I wanted to hear the key-note speaker, Dr. Hill, talk about the healing properties of Lavender Essential Oil. He was a great speaker, made up of an amazing amount of knowledge, a great delivery, and a sense of humor, too. A terrible storm had blown over us while he was speaking, but we were under cover, and his crowd grew...turned out we had the best seats in the house! I wondered what the people seeking shelter thought about what they ended up learning quite by accident. Of course, I don't believe there are accidents when it comes to experiences like that.
Back in 2008, I met my wonderful friend Leah. She is quite the hippy at heart, and it shows through her life choices for herself and her family. I could go on and on about how she has changed my life, but that would take up well more than a post...I think I'd have to start an entirely separate blog just for that! *wink* Anyway, she opened my eyes to things like cloth diapering, baby wearing, and a whole new perspective on life in general. She proudly gave birth to her second son at home in the bathtub! She is incredible and has taught me so many things.
--Let me back up for a quick second. I was stationed out in Northern California for a few years, and that is what introduced me to organic foods, skin care, and how beautiful life really can be. The wharf in San Francisco is one of my favorite places. Being surrounded by people on scooters and bike instead of cars...so many thoughts are going through my head. It was just a beautiful place. I loved all of the natural aspects life had to offer there, but when I moved away, many of those aspects were left behind.--
Okay, so back to my time with Leah (sadly, the military moved us less than a year later). She was able to get in touch with the feelings I experienced while I lived in California. The more I got into the cloth diapering scene, the more I was exposed to natural living in general. What has interested me more than anything is the importance of nature itself. Essential oils come from plants. Lavender essential oil (EO) comes from the delicate flowers of the lavender plant. Shocking, I know! But there are so many things that these different oils can do. Some have healing properties, some are anti-fungal, some are anti-inflammatory, and some ward off pests such as flies and mosquitoes. These are just a tiny fraction of examples of what this one part of nature can do that DOESN'T REQUIRE CHEMICALS. I love all natural body lotions that can help to heal psoriasis. I love that there are substances from plants that can be turned into a salve that I can rub on sore areas caused by fibromyalgia. I don't like to pop pills to get myself out of pain. I like to know that what I put on and in my body is something that my body actually appreciates because we all come from nature...
So it comes down to this: What am I passionate about? Well, it certainly seems as though I have a passion for nature and what it can do for us. I have a desire to know more about such things and would love for it to be more than a "hobby". The words homeopathy and holistic come to mind, but I'm not even sure if they really apply. I haven't had much luck searching online about "careers" in such things. They seem to lead to massage and acupuncture. Not exactly what I'm thinking. So here I am. I can't quite put my finger on it yet, but I'm getting a better picture of what truly interests me. Now I just have to figure out where to go from here. For now, I do believe my pillow is calling...
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