For the last five years, I have been extremely introverted, focusing on bettering myself, nurturing better relationships with my friends and family. I busied myself making my new house a home, growing gardens, writing books and dreaming of how I want my future to look. Sometimes I would feel glum about this fabulous life I was blessed with, and I didn’t understand why. What do I have to be so down about? What is the reason behind the emotions that where affecting my energy and my attitude in negative ways?
I have a wonderful family, a career I truly enjoy, a brown house with several gardens that I love. From the outside looking in, one would say I had it pretty darn great. Yet, this feeling of melancholy was heavy as a weighted blanket just not as useful. I would meditate, drum journey in the garden, exercise and write about how I was feeling. I hoped this would help me move through the uncertain feelings I was experiencing but didn’t understand where they were coming from.
After reading books and watching documentaries about living more sustainably to help the environment, I chose to implement changes in our household and my lifestyle. This led to growing a greater interest in politics, learning what I could do myself to help the greater good. I read self-improvement books, went to classes that helped me process my feelings. I would try to fill up my life with more love by fostering dogs and manufacturing busyness tending to my family and animals seeking to fill a persistent void that seemed like an endless tunnel.
Why was my fabulous life not enough to make me happy? I read a book called ‘The Hope’ by Andrew Harvey and it changed my direction just enough to lead me to where I am today. I believe that I do have more to offer the world, I am a nurturer by nature. It is in my blood to care for others, except my daughter is now grown, my husband is very self-sufficient, and my dogs are good boys who don’t require much doting either.
This left me with tons of nurturing instincts inside and nowhere to use it; I realized this is where my frustration came in. I contemplated fostering children which clearly is a much bigger commitment then dogs. This didn’t seem like the right time in my life and my intuition told me this was not where I would find what I am looking for. I know inside that I am connected to the earth in some way and here to foster in a new way of caring for it. I just did not know what I was supposed to do or how I was going to go about it.
I believe when you want to make the world a better place you start at home. You nurture your relationships, cherish and care for your community and do what you can right where you are. I picked up trash on the county road, became more politically involved and vocal, and I joined the local Friends of the Sherburne County Wildlife Refuge Advocacy committee, so I could have a small part in nurturing a tiny part of the world I hold so dear. Let me tell you that the moment I realized I do have the power to be the change I wish to see in the world, doors seem to fly open, life seemed to hand me magical opportunities to do even more good!
Adventure Sister Stacy tells me this is what happens when you are on the right path of your true-life purpose; what you came to earth to do in this life time. I sincerely hope she is right. I am having the best time moving forward with purpose and laser focused direction to foster in a cleaner, kinder community around me.
Wouldn’t you know it? That feeling of melancholy has dissipated, I wake up each morning excited about what life holds for me. I no longer wonder what to do with my abundance of passion that stokes my desire to care for something bigger then myself. I found it. I am thankful.
Wishing you an abundance of joyful blessings,
Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister
Follow the Adventure Sisters on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/BWCAdventureSisters
Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister
Emy Minzel 