 I just got back from the beautiful Bruce Peninsula. We were up at my brother’s gorgeous cottage, nestled right by the water. It was so delightful to wake up to the sounds of nature and soak up all the peace and serenity this incredible property offered. It truly filled my soul. There are lots of attractions to take in in that area. We had enjoyed The Grotto, The Halfway Log Dump and the Tobermory boat tour last year, so we were on a quest to see what new adventures this area had to offer. When the suggestion of exploring some local caves came up, I was quite intrigued as it sounded like something certainly interesting and new to try. I figured we would at the very least get some great pictures in these caves to share on social media. So, to my family’s surprise I enthusiastically stated “I’m in!” It had rained the night before, but I truly thought nothing of it. I understood we were going to be inside the caves anyway, so it wouldn’t really matter. Would it? Well here is where the story gets REAL interesting! Yes, there were caves to explore, but to access them you had to navigate some of the most treacherous, rocky, uncleared terrain known to man. Top that off with the fact that it had rained, and it was also incredibly slippery in so many spots. I was clearly UNPREPARED! Ironically, I had worn a shirt that said "It's a good day to read a book." Trust me, I was so wishing I had chose that option. This was NOT what I or my family had anticipated. We were already knee deep in the hoopla when we came to the realization that conquering these cave trails would be no easy feat. At first I decided I would bow out and wait in a cave and let the others go ahead. I am telling ya, I was terrified. The others were not having it. They had an "all for one and one for all and no man (or woman) would be left behind mentality" on this ordeal and I loved them for it. Through this experience, my husband teased me about the great blog material I was gathering and he was absolutely right. You know me by now, and as always, I figured there’s GOT to be a life lesson in this that goes beyond doing your research first before going on any cave adventures! Here is what I gleaned from my ordeal on the slippery slopes of the cave exploration that you and I can apply to our daily lives. Life is unpredictable The rugged path. Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana Just like the way the cave adventure unfolded, life is very unpredictable. We may have our ideas of how things will be, yet many unexpected turns, twists and obstacles can come our way. In these stressful times we could choose to bail out in fear like I wanted to or press on in faith with courage. I encourage you to choose option B. Press on my friend. YOU CAN DO IT! Others are there for you  Phil helping me, step by step. Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana I could not have completed this hike without my family and especially my husband Phil. He stayed behind and held my hand, leading the way step by step and encouraging me all the way. I was so thankful for his strength, patience and compassion towards me on this very unique and memorable day. We are all in this together Find your people. Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana Life is a roller coaster ride at times, but it is meant to be shared. We were all going through this dangerous hike together and we were truly there for each other. At one point we got lost on the trail, but together we figured it out. We all had a mutual goal of completing the trail and getting back to the safety of the nearby parking lot. We knew we would truly have a story to tell, so we were committed to seeing it through. Life is like that too. Look around you. Many people are going through the same struggles as you and they can be a wonderful source of comfort and strength for you as you go through tough times as well. They truly understand as they have navigated the rugged trail ahead of you and they will support you with open arms. Take good advice Others help you along the way, Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana My kids and our friend Rick were further ahead. They made the difficult decisions of which paths to take and would call out with great wisdom paths to avoid and the slippery spots and pitfalls of the precarious path. Those that have walked the treacherous paths ahead of you, have great advice to share. It may be what to do or perhaps what NOT to do, but their insights are so extremely valuable to those who are not experienced in this type of trial. Listen to them. They have great advice to share. When life is hard, there is still beauty My husband Phil and I. Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana As scary as the path was, it was impossible to disregard the beauty all around us. There were gorgeous forests, beautiful skies, spacious caves and incredible rocky landscapes. As nervous as I was, I often stopped to take pictures as I KNEW this was a journey I never wanted to forget. These photos would be a lasting reminder of a very noteworthy day. Despite being WAY out of my comfort zone, there were lots of smiles and memorable moments amongst the stress we dealt with. No trial lasts forever WE DID IT! Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana I was never so glad when my kids called out and said “I see the parking lot!” It was like water in the desert. We did it! We had overcome! It reminded me that we should never lose faith when going through tough times because they are temporary. With a positive attitude, courage, and good people by your side, your test can become your testimony in the end. So my cave story has a happy ending after all. I was proud of myself and all that was learned on a deeper level that day. Until next time, Dana Psalms 32:8 ~ I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Little Lesson Learned: Don't let the fear of a new experience, overshadow the thrill of completing something amazing. Copyright: © 2024, littlelessonslearnedbydana
Tags: summer vacation, overcoming fear, new adventures, Bruce pennisula, family fun, personal growth, believe in yourself, taking risks
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 Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko “Lord, keep me in the moment. Help me live with my eyes wide open. `Cause I don't wanna miss what you have for me. ~ Jeremy Camp I found myself crying in Mcdonald's last week. It was supposed be just like any other coffee run. I had my code in hand. I was ready to get my points and about to get on the road for a fun weekend getaway with my husband. As I approached the counter, everything changed, however. You see the "customers" right in front of me couldn't help but get my undivided attention. There they were, the most adorable brother and sister duo, proudly placing their order for "2 waters." Their beautiful mom was beaming, watching them closely, and protectively from the side. They had their meal but wanted to order something on their own. Instantly I was swept back in time and there Tyler, age 7, and Shannon, age 5, stood in front of me. They even resembled them. It was uncanny. A wave of nostalgia and sadness engulfed me. The tears unexpectedly flowed behind my dark sunglasses. I had a moment that my mom often described as an "I miss my little people" moment. Have you ever experienced this? I am sure I am not alone. My kids are adults now. They are 28 and 26. Despite my mistakes along the way, they are two of the best humans out there. I am so blessed to have them in my life. Even so, there are just those moments that come up from time to time that get me right in the heart. I miss their little voices, their chubby, little hands in mine and their bedtime giggles and cuddles. Can you relate?  When Ty and Shannon were a baby and toddler, I wrote a poem which was entitled “Someday.” It was my first publication, and I was so proud. In this raw and honest poem, I talked of all the things that annoyed me at this stage like wishing I could: get a solid night’s sleep, shower without an audience, and watch Oprah instead of Barney. I realized too however, that there was so much I would also miss about that stage as well though like: infectious baby giggles, seeing the world through a child’s eyes and bedtime prayers for Goliath and the Teletubbies. I never wanted to wish this stage away, as hard as it might have been at the time. Everyone tells you to appreciate it all and since I became a mom, I know it is so true. Kids grow up way too fast! I felt like I blinked, and now my kids are adults.  Photo by Cup of Couple There can be many tough times and circumstances that come into our lives at so many stages. Life can be just plain hard sometimes. We struggle. We wish that our circumstances would change overnight. We don't know how much more we can take at times. During the tough times I have prayed that God would step in and change my circumstances time and time again, but that is not guaranteed. I have felt like I was in the waiting room and wondering like Rapunzel from the movie Tangled, when will my life begin? Many of us struggle to "stay in the moment" because we don’t like where we are right now. Many of us are facing big struggles, challenges and heartaches. We become overwhelmed and so weary of it all. If we have an attitude of what can be learned from our current circumstances whatever they may be, we can usually see that there have been some positives that have come from these times. When you stay in the moment with your heart open, you can see them. You Got This Photo by Prateek Katyal I have been teaching for 20 years. Retirement is fast approaching. It is so easy to look ahead and wish the time away. It is a challenging career and has changed so much recently. The needs of kids are so much more complex these days and the job of a teacher is truly not what it used to be. Rather than fantasize about leaving the profession on my worst days, I am working on reframing my thoughts to focus on the here and now. Who can I encourage right now? What good can I do each day? There is still work for me to do to impact this school community. The door will close on this chapter of my life soon enough, but not just yet. I want to enjoy it and make a difference where I am, while I still can. I encourage you to do the same when possible, with whatever stage of life you are in.  Everything is for a seasonThere is a season for everything in your life. Some seasons are amazing. Woo-hoo! You are overflowing with joy and fulfillment. This may be you. Some seasons are stressful, very difficult and we wonder how we can even get out of bed. This may be you. Please know that these times of hardship will not last and with God, his mercies are new every morning. He will give you the strength you need to make it through even your darkest of days. Whether something is an ordeal or adventure is up to you. We can so easily wish times away, but I encourage you to ask God to keep you in the moment. It is in some of our hardest times, that God reveals himself the most. It may be hard to believe as well, but the very things you dread today, surprisingly may be what you end up missing the most later on. Life is funny that way. Stay strong my friend. You got this and I am standing with you. Until next time, Dana Psalms 118:24: This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Little Lesson Learned: Those with open hearts see things that others miss.
Tags: patience, endurance, parenting, strength in trials, life lessonsCopyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana, 2nd edition, 2021 first edition
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