I feel that this summer ended on a great note; not an easy one, but one filled with accomplishments and healing.
to recap the summer's ending.... I was able to go an another paddling with two fellow guides, Justine, and Stacie... it was incredible. We started out on a night paddle and went to the first campsite on our Jervis route called Two Bear. That night paddle was incredible, so serene and peaceful. The sky was clear and gorgeous and the bio-luminescence was incredible! The trip was two nights and as a whole it was just refreshing. It was nice to adventure with those two amazing girls and to allow ourselves to rest in the simpleness that this kind of camping provides with the amazing view that the Jervis Inlet provides. We read, ate very well, rested, and adventured, one that found us a bunch of animal prints such as a bear, and the jawbone and vertabrae of a bear. It was pretty neat!
When we returned we began to pack everything up to be stored for the summer. I put it off as much as I could. The idea of leaving that community and the opportunities available was something that I didn't want to grasp. We had a great farewell dinner to Egmont and spent some time in communion and in thankfulness for what we had and endured for the past few months. Soon after that we spent the last two weeks at the mountain base camp helping close everything for the duration of the year. We worked pretty hard and consistently, but it was encouraging to be with our fellow mountain guides and to be able to hear their summer stories.
I love mountain base camp. So simple.. and the work projects and routine, were actually something I enjoyed and I think, needed. It was hard for me to leave base camp and as we were on our water taxi headed back to Egmont, and then on the ferry to start the journey home, all I could think of was how excited I was to return.
I really hope I was able to walk away from this experience transformed. The experience wasn't what I expected and that was a huge frustration, but I hope that I was able to serve and love well. I know that God provided quite a bit of healing to me, and maybe some direction.... I'm still processing this. But, I do hope that whatever I encountered and whether it was conquered or laid to rest, is something that does change me and cause me to be that woman of God I strive to be. A lot has happened in my life since returning from Canada and it's only been a few months.... I am so thankful for where God has placed me and I love my friends, and I'm excited about what lies ahead. I do though, need to continue to remind myself and actually do spend time listening, reading, and actively seeking God. I do have to admit it's hard to do that here in the chaos of "normal" life, but it's part of the journey, and I'm thankful for where I am and what I have
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