Sunday, I threw up macaroni and my dog ate it.

Monday, I wanted to die.

Tuesday, I almost died.

Today, though…today was not bad. I saw Batman and met a newborn. I also ate honey bbq chicken.
Wednesday, can’t complain.

Sunday, I threw up macaroni and my dog ate it.
Monday, I wanted to die.
Tuesday, I almost died.
Today, though…today was not bad. I saw Batman and met a newborn. I also ate honey bbq chicken.
Wednesday, can’t complain.
Winter. I always wished I could enjoy the cold air more. It would sure have made those long treks easier to bear. Not easy, just slightly less miserable. I know my pup liked it, though, so I tried to keep that in mind when I felt like my eyeballs were freezing from the outside in.
Cove had had a good little week, seizure free. We walked out to a clear portion of pasture to celebrate with a little game of fetch. It wasn’t much, but those moments were always the most memorable, even if I felt my fingertips turning gray with frostbite.
The pasture wasn’t ours – in fact, nothing was ours. We were drifters on the run. On the run from ourselves.
Everywhere we went back then was riddled with NO TRESPASSING signs. We walked where we wanted to walk. I always liked the way the Native Americans felt about the land, that no man could own it. However, I also understood the need for privacy. City people migrated to pastureland more every year. Privacy was becoming less and less abundant.
We took the risks of trespassing because we liked our privacy, too. Cove and I, we loved our quiet time. Noises gave her headaches and drove me insane. Yeah, we liked the quiet.
In that pasture we played fetch for an hour. Cove liked those repetitive games. It made me smile to see her healthy, happy, and playful. It was a simple joy and deserved recognition. Mostly, simple things lose their prominence as people grow up. People take little everyday moments for granted. Not Cove and I. We loved these quiet, playful moments and set out to fill a book with them.
After fetch we walked. Lots of walking, always. Walking lets us think. We walked through mesquite trees and heavy brush, but mostly it was a walk through clear, open pasture. Cattle grazed as we walked by, not paying much attention to us. Cove is indifferent to cows, luckily. I’ve seen some dogs chase cattle regardless of how much punishment the dogs receive afterward. But not Cove. She’s in her own world most of the time, like me. That’s how we like it. That’s what keeps us sane (mostly).
We came to a wooded area and found a little animal trail leading inside. It was a tight squeeze for me, Cove, and the wagon I pulled around everywhere, but we were used to making things work. The trail led to a little clearing within the woods. I looked all around and saw no signs of humanity or heard any voices through oaks. The trees were pretty thick, giving us a nice little wall of shelter, so I threw down my backpack and began to unload the tent.
Dusk came as I finished pitching the tent. Our little temporary home wasn’t much, but it was sure cozy on a cold evening. Cove laid on her mat next to my cot as I wrote in my journal. I wrote down every good thing that happened to us that day. Sometimes good things are hard to find, but mostly good things pop out easily. I just had to learn how to see them, how to appreciate them.
I wrapped up my journal as the final glimpse of sunlight disappeared below the horizon. I mixed a can of dog food with Cove’s medications and opened a can of beans for myself as she ate greedily. Dinner in the dark.
It made no sense – us being out there, in the cold, eating from cans in the dark. I guess we just grew tired of doing things because they made sense to do so. We figured it was time to start doing more of what made no sense at all. In that way, nonsense became the most reasonable aspect of our lives. It was free. We were free – free of all the norms and expectations. Because of that, we were happy. Everything we owned fit in my backpack and wagon. We had each other and really, we had everything we could ever need.
Out there, we were safe. Once people found out what I was, they came in droves. They came after me. So Cove and I had been on the run ever since. They’d never find us. They moved on with life and in a few years they forgot I ever existed. Cove and I just had to wait out the time in isolation. Honestly, I grew to prefer solitude quickly.
https://wolfwingjournal.com/books-and-downloads/
Upon searching for “waterfall” on my Maps app, the closest result was Wolf Creek Waterfall in Palestine. I was pretty excited because Palestine is only an hour away.
This morning, Kovi and I left for Wolf Creek Lake around ten. I had searched for the waterfall specifically, and we ended up at the Palestine airport with the GPS basically telling us to venture into the woods.
Instead, I followed a road that wrapped around the Wolf Creek area and ended up at the official Wolf Creek Lake park. I drove around and didn’t see any trails, so we parked and I decided to just search for the waterfall, on foot, with Maps.
Where we parked, and the entire park, was on the opposite side of where Maps was telling me the waterfall is. Since I couldn’t see a trail, we just walked to the side of the lake and began making our way to the opposite side.
We quickly crossed over a dam and then faced dense woods. Following my GPS, Kovi and I entered the thick brush. The thorn level in these woods has to compose over half of the vegetation within. Kovi quickly grew tired of this sticky trek but we kept pushing anyway. Not wanting to get lost, we stayed close to the lake so I knew where we were the whole time.
It started out simple but fast forward an hour and we were still searching for this waterfall after crossing a muddy creek and getting stuck with thorny vines every 2 feet. By the way, we still hadn’t seen this mysterious waterfall.
We hit a point when we came to the actual Wolf Creek crossover point, but the water was far too deep for me to walk across and for Kovi to swim across. Maps had already said we were right beside, in front of, on top of, and passed the waterfall. Apparently we walked a circle around it and totally missed it. Who knows?
At that point I could tell Kovi was ready to get out of the woods and into open air so we set out to back track since we couldn’t cross Wolf Creek.
When I checked Maps, I saw that we were pretty close to the airport from earlier, so we headed that way instead of trying to trek through the thorn haven again.
We cut through more vines (with our bodies) and eventually reached a large hill. We climbed up and at the top was the wood-less city airport. Walking along the wood line to avoid any suspicious stares, Kovi and I found the road that led to Wolf Creek Lake and we started our final stretch back to the car.
It was probably another hour of walking, but at least it was painless without thorn needles pricking every inch of my skin.
Finally, we got back to the car. Kovi and I drank some water and loaded up to head home. On the way out, I spotted a little clearing that might have been the opening of a trail…
…However, I felt Kovi’s desire to leave as she spread out in the back seat to nap. I was also starving.
Maybe next time, waterfall. Mysterious, hidden, annoying waterfall. Stick to the trails, friends.
https://wolfwingjournal.com/books-and-downloads/
Powerful
Mysterious
Creative
Deep
Dark
Secretive
Beautiful
Strong
Forceful
Fluent
Overpowering
Water can help you have a fresh start anytime, any day.
Splash the Face
Refreshing, fresh, and made anew with a quick splash in a bathroom sink.
Take a Bath
Soak away the old, bad, and irrelevant.
Take a Shower
Wash away the old, bad, and irrelevant. Let it sink down the drain like the mud and dirt it is.
Go Swimming
Fun, refreshing, and purifying.
Paddle
Kayak, paddle board, paddle boat, or do anything on the water moving forward with a paddle in hand. Exercise your body and free your mind.
Drink
Hydration is vital, yet many fall short. Drink more water, feel better, feel more energized.
Observe
Watch the peaceful water flow, rise, fall, and move with the wind. Relax your mind.
Listen
The sound of water is one of the most relaxing sounds of nature. Listen, take deep breaths, smile, and relax.
“A New Spiritual Age” is episode 10 of Season 2 of The Legend of Korra. In this episode, Korra enters the spirit world and meets Uncle Iroh. He’s very wise.
“Your emotions become your reality…You must try to stay positive.”
Uncle Iroh
“I can make the sun shine?” “Even in the material world, you will find that if you look for the light, you can often find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see.”
Korra and Uncle Iroh
“Sometimes the best way to solve your own problems is to help someone else.”
Uncle Iroh
“You have light and peace inside of you. If you let it out, you can change the world around you.”
Uncle Iroh
“Many things that seem threatening in the dark become welcoming when we shine a light on them.”
Uncle Iroh
I hope this wisdom is as enlightening to you as it is to me. Thank you for being here.
Thank you, Charlotte Brontë, for creating a masterpiece full of wisdom. Here are 12 lines from Jane Eyre that provide incredible life lessons:
We all want and need new experiences, but are often too afraid to try. Put fear aside and just go for it. It’s okay to be afraid; it’s not okay to let fear prevent opportunities.
Don’t settle. If you know what you want and what you deserve from others and the world, never stop until you find it. It’s out there somewhere.
Feeling guilty about wanting to go out into the world to learn and experience new cultures, lifestyles, and careers is unreasonable. Do what you feel is right for you.
Don’t judge or condemn when not all the facts are known.
The actions of others are not your fault. Don’t take the actions of others personally.
Make amends for things that you are sorry about.
Nothing can stand in the way of creating a better life for ourselves.
Whatever you believe in – whether it’s involving religion, culture, finance, music, etc. – always respect what others believe in. They have their reasons, you have your reasons, and though we see the world differently, we can continue to be courteous to one another.
Being alone is not a bad thing if it means avoiding people who are toxic. We can all be content within our own presence.
Making others smile and connecting with friends is more valuable than money.
Don’t look to others to make yourself feel better about regrets or feelings. This must come from within.
Once you feel good and confident about yourself, nothing is impossible.