Georgia on My Mind

Hippie Hill was perfectly peaceful this morning, but we woke up earlier than planned due to the fact that our air mattress pump was broken and the ground under our tent was a bit rough to inspire sleeping in.  It was a little too buggy last night to sleep outside, but the hammocks made for a pleasant way to greet the day this morning.  We spent some time at the community kitchen, chatting with the camp residents and signing CDs and posters.  After breakfast, we said our goodbyes, packed up our tent, and headed on down the road.  After about a half hour we stopped for a few groceries at Piggly Wiggly.  From there we continued the five-hour trip to our friends' place in Perry, Georgia.

It felt like a long drive.  Snacks, chewing gum, childish humor, and iPhone games helped to pass the time.  Returning to the Eastern Standard Time Zone, we lost an hour and arrived in Perry, Georgia at 6pm.  The Green Bell Bed & Barn is a beautiful expanse of land near Goose Lake.  The are several houses and cabins and a large party barn.  Folks rent the facilities for weddings and other events.  It also happens to be where Bass & Grass is held at the end of October.  Bass & Grass is a weekend-long bass fishing and bluegrass music workshop which we have had the honor to be a part of twice, and are looking forward to participating in again this year.  Our friends, Jay and Jennie were dropping their 20-year-old son off at his college in Ohio when we arrived, but they told us to make ourselves at home in the "shack," which is actually a large, comfortable, cabin-style home where, during Bass & Grass, meals are served and musicians gather.

Soon after we arrived, Jay and Jennie's 23-year-old son, Avery, stopped by to welcome us.  Brett and I hopped into his truck, and he showed us a small pond at which we could fish during our stay.  He then drove us to the main house and loaned us three rods and tackle.  We talked with him and his 17-year-old brother, Russell, for a while, and Avery drove us back to the shack.

The weather was warmer and more humid than what I have grown accustomed to these last few weeks.  I had let my healthful diet get away from me a bit lately, and I hadn't had any real exercise the last two days.  I was feeling too fat, bloated, and lazy to want to do any physical activity.  Then I realized I needed to stop making excuses and get moving more than ever!  With the last hour of daylight, I went out for a jog.  I took a dirt road I had never been down before.  It led me to an open field and a large orchard.  I decided to jog around the orchard, just inside its perimeter.

I then headed down the same road in the opposite direction.  I followed it from one hill to the next and around a bend, then decided I should head back before it became too dark.

During my jog, two things occurred to me.  First, I realized just how differently you can experience a place when you choose to travel by foot or bicycle.  I had been by the road I jogged several times in the past, but I had never taken it before today.  Previously, I had only been to my cabin, the dock at Goose Lake, the shack for meals, and wherever an upright bass was needed for a bluegrass jam.  I was unaware there was an orchard down the road at all.  I'm grateful that I have been able to visit sections of so many towns on this tour during jogs and bike rides.

Second, I was struck again by how temptingly easy it is to fall into the mindset that "I've already blown it, so I might as well give up."  It's a self-defeating downward spiral!  Here I was, making some real positive changes for well over two months, and I was feeling that, in just a few days, I had wasted all my hard work, so "why bother anymore?"  The answer, of course, is because it's never too late to realize you're on the wrong path and backtrack as much as necessary to get back on the right one.  Yes, I've gained a few pounds back, and I'm disappointed in myself, but choosing to stay home and feel sorry for myself rather than get moving outside isn't going to make me feel any better in the long run (pardon the pun).  My belly certainly reminded me how I had lost my way; I could feel the food I had been overeating uncomfortably sloshing around as I jogged.  By the end of my run, I felt as though I was just starting to sweat out some toxins again.  Had I chosen the lazy route and skipped exercising, I would have been that much more tempted to give in and have drink to make myself "feel better," and because I had already "ruined everything."  This kind of thinking is self-sabotage.

My brain is also thinking ahead to the end of my personal 100 days alcohol-free challenge.  What will I do then?  Will I celebrate with a drink (or several)?  Will I be able to drink in moderation in the future?  Will I simply want to return to my old ways?  It's actually overwhelming to think about; ironically, it's enough to drive me to drink!  So I figure I need to not worry about all that right now and just focus on the decisions at hand, one day at a time. I've come too damn far to give up now!

We have the shack to ourselves tonight, and we've been able to spread out and enjoy some time apart from each other.  We're all pretty tired, so it looks like it will be an early night.  I hope to get a good night's sleep and wake up ready to make some healthy decisions.  Maintaining a positive attitude has been challenging at times, especially lately, and as important as ever.  I'm well aware of the fact that health and happiness go hand in hand, but I forget sometimes.  I've used an app called HabitSeed to help me stay on track with different personal goals for a while (to varying degrees of success).  It's a simple app that asks you every evening if you've reached your goal and offers motivational quotes. I still use it to stay alcohol-free, and today's quote from Abraham Lincoln is worth repeating here:

"Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Alright Jon, it's getting late; go to bed!

To your health!

- Jon