A silver lining

The most amazing thing happened to me the other day.  I was asked to be someone's mentor. The person I'll be mentoring made some dumb-ass choices and as part of our town's community justice program, I was asked to over seeing some work that has to be done as part of the sentence.  If you're unfamiliar with "community justice" it's worth a Google.  

I spent Monday night coming up with a plan and it quickly became clear that I have just as much or more to learn from this project as the young person with whom I'll be working.  I created a structure for the work I'd like to do with this person. The original version is specific to my "mentee" so I altered this a little, so it applies to me. You can do it, too just alter it to fit your schedule.  Here it goes:

Motivation Monday:  Each Monday, I'll find something that motivates me. Maybe a movie or a quote or a great conversation with someone I love and find inspiring. This week I am watching, "Pray the Devil Back to Hell" a documentary about the women who pushed for change in Liberia. 

Talking Tuesday: On Tuesday, I'll find a quiet time to have a real conversation with a real person. Not online, not on the phone. Yesterday, my friend and I went out to Silver Creek Preserve and created art while having a wonderful conversation. (More on that in a bit)

Working Wednesday: I work from home and VERY part time. Wednesday will be my day to work if I have work to do. When I don't have professional work, I'm going to blog or work on projects that need to be done. Today, I'm blogging and then later today, I'm going to learn how to weld. (Yes, weld. Like with a torch. More on that in a minute, too.) 

Thoughtful Thursday: Journal, create art or in some way use the inspiration derived from the week’s activities and motivational thought. This is why I'm learning to weld.  I have a plan! Stay tuned.

Free Friday:  Do something that brings you joy today. 

Service Saturday: Do something nice for someone else.  

Analog Sunday: Avoid electronics today. No TV. No Phone. No computer. Read a book, take a walk, shoot baskets with a friend. Go to a matinee movie. Bake cookies. Disconnect in someway. Journal on this week’s prompt and discussion.

Who's in?  I think this will be great fun and we can post answers here. I think it will be much more fun if we all do it as a team. 

Silver Creek Preserve, Idaho

Yesterday, as I mentioned, my friend and I went north for the afternoon. 

My friend, Kat and me...

First we had lunch with my cousin. She works in a tiny community called Picabo. She manages the farm supply store there and her staff and I have become friends. Across the street from her store is a cafe and gas station which prepares delightful home cooked meals.  We had a great conversation.  Then, braving the southern Idaho winds of October we detoured through The Nature Conservancy's Silver Creek Preserve. 

 In the 1930s and 40s this was a stream frequented by writer Ernest Hemingway. It's a beautiful piece of Idaho. Just off the road is a rock bench near the water with a small monument to Hemingway. 

Monument to Hemingway

 We brought a bag of watercolors and colored pencils. We sat for about an hour and colored and painted and chatted. It filled my soul with wonder and joy. I even used the stream water for my water colors -- I guess to make it more authentic. It's not that I'm an artist. I just love water colors and I have fun...and that is really what art is about. 

Birds next in the bushes.

The weather had been nasty all morning, but by the time we sat down on the cold stone to capture a bit of the beauty of the place, the skies had cleared to a brilliant blue. In our little hiding place, the wind wasn't bad and the sun warmed our backs. 

My friend works on a card decorated with Celtic designs.

In a world where I often prefer the sterility of texting or e-chats, the purity of conversation was exhilarating.  For more, it was the "silver lining" at Silver Creak and a simply brilliant day. 

The view from our bench