Reset.
Lucky me. Great friends, an open weekend, and a sanctuary in the woods.
Every so often, a group of my favorite women gather at Lucky Pines. It is literally a dream come true for my dear friend Christie, who had pictured her ideal getaway for years and then, made it real. Six acres and an eccentric, campy cluster of houses in Palestine, Texas, right outside of a town you possibly have heard of, Athens, Texas. Lucky Pines is tucked deep in the pines, in a part of our great state that most have no idea exists.
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Our timing for Lucky Pines is often spontaneous, but always comes when we need it most. When each of us needs refueling, in the form of both exercise and rest; chatter and contemplation.
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Sunshine is not a prerequisite. In fact, the kind of restoration we seek at Lucky Pines is often best achieved as the earth is being restored as well. What's better than rain on the roof and a fire to cut the chill?
I've just come home from Lucky Pines, and know that I'm breathing differently. This trip, our background music was Tara Brach's Guided Meditations (you can take 10 minutes and do one, click right here!) Tara Brach's latest book, True Refuge, is a beautiful ode to nothing more than Being Present. We work so hard at making life complicated, and yet how simple it becomes when we just commit to being present.
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Lucky Pines reminds me that it is that simple. Friends. Reset.
"Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it."
- Mary Oliver
Elizabeth
all photos in this post are courtesy of Ella Ann Alford
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