Authentic: 20 Younger Years


It was a strange thing. I decided to work outside tonight to read my emails after a long busy day of meetings. 
There is a chill in the air and someone in the distance has a bonfire going.  Even though it’s spring it reminded me of my childhood times when we would go camping on our boat with all my dad’s friends. 

I could close my eyes and remember the laughter and the times when we would all just sit around and poke the fire.  My dad’s friend Henry would always pick a long fire stick but by the end of the weekend it was always much shorter.  We’d eat all our meals from the fire. I remember covering potatoes and onions with the ladies to put around the coals and how delicious they would be. I remember one particular summer when I am pretty sure we listened to Eric Clapton’s Journeyman album on repeat, when I fell in love with the sound of any song played by Stevie Ray Vaughn (I did cry when he died). 

I remember swimming in water that was freezing and washing my hair in the water.  I miss having a boat more than my heart can tell you sometimes. 

As I was sitting her with cold hands (currently listening to Eric) and my heart is so warm.

My childhood was riddled with trauma that I am working hard to heal from, I’m changing the narrative of my life of “what’s wrong with me” to “what happened to me” and learning to grow in and from it.  It’s easy for me to remember in the middle of healing and growing to feel hurt and forget the really good things.  I am so thankful for my frozen hands and the smell of campfire to bring some joy to my heart.

For your listening pleasure... one of my favorite songs... ever. 







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