The Art of Enjoyment

Funny how too much pleasure can be seen as an indulgence. We work at such a crazy pace, fill our lives with responsibilities – but slowing down to enjoy life, to savor the moments…we’ve almost forgotten how. Even my chiropractor says I need to learn how to relax. I can hardly remember the last time I sat in front of the TV for a couple of hours watching a movie. If I’m not being industrious in some way, I almost feel guilty.


But last weekend (a week ago), circumstances contrived to pack in the most fun weekend I’ve had in the longest time. I played all weekend, it’s true. And since you’re all probably so disciplined that you wouldn’t take a whole weekend off, here are some pictures to remind you that life is to be lived, and even though I don’t have my soulmate to share the moments with anymore – God fills them with the joy of His presence that draws me onwards.

The weekend begins…

EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) Fly-In Breakfast at Gallatin airport Saturday morning. I belong to the Gallatin chapter, and it was our turn to host the fly-in, so I arrived at the airport around 7:30am to help Carolyn. She had cooked up the most incredible breakfast, that everyone declared was like a fantastic Sunday brunch! I helped collect the money, then prowled around some of the beautiful airplanes that had flown in from the surrounding region, most of them from Lebanon, TN.

1958 model Cessna 310

This immaculate Cessna 310 was a ’58 model, similar to the one Bill would have flown in his days doing the stunt flying for Sky King. It was always his favorite airplane.

I’ve always had a soft spot for the simple, basic airplanes, like this sweet little Piper Cub. Glad that all my early flying was basic stick and rudder in a glider. The pilot has promised to take me flying in this one sometime, so need to get myself back current to take full advantage of such an opportunity.

This beautiful aerobatic biplane is available for lease for anyone wanting to go through the paces of experiencing the real art of flying.

For those of us who didn’t get to fly that day, I came across this delightful video of those magnificent men enjoying a Sunday afternoon flying at Bucks County airport, Pennsylvania. Enjoy!

I was due at Gail’s place around 9:00am, where several of us saddled up the horses for a three hour ride through fields and woods adjoining her property.

The Magnificent Five

Emma & Dayle

No day’s ride is ever short of an adventure, and as we blazed a trail through thick woods and scrub up a steep slope, Julie was knocked clear off her huge Belgian horse, Caylee, by a tree limb stretched right across the rocky path. Always the brave horsewoman, she climbed right back on for the ride home. I was riding Red, an old gaited gentleman horse that used to pull a wagon for the Amish. Gail had been feeding him alfalfa, so he actually had more zip to expend than all the other horses that day, and we had a few nice gallops.

Time to go home and clean up, and then I met up with 6 friends for a Girl’s Night Out at the movies. Chef’s Market was doing a three-week menu special to coincide with the movie Eat, Pray, Love –serving Italian dishes the first week, Indian the second, and Indonesian the third.

We enjoyed some Italian specialities, then went to the movie based on the book, which is a woman’s journey to explore pleasure, spirituality and balance in Italy, India and Bali.

Sunday I explored my own spiritual growth in church, then later that afternoon took friends sailing on the Wanderin’ Star – including a really special family to whom sailing was brand new. That is always fun!

Kesia - first time sailor

It was a perfect afternoon, the wind filling our sails, water sparkling in sun-dappled irridescence. Laughter, exhilaration, and once again that incredible sense of inner peace I so often shared with Bill on our boat, when I could quite happily forget time and sail carefree and happy into the velvet softness of night.

"I fly, I sail, I throw caution to the wind"