Sitting here on a quiet morning in the cool Pacific Northwest, drinking my coffee and listening to the sounds of a community starting its day, my first thought was “ahhhh”. The peacefulness I was experiencing wasn’t merely in the tranquility around me. I was vacationing in a place I had been to many times and the reason I keep coming back hits me every time I arrive – this place is good for my soul.

 
It’s the feeling that a place connects beyond the logical or emotional response you might be having. A gut reaction that says “I belong here.” With each passing day, you feel the nourishment your body and soul need go from empty to full. 

So much of the fulfillment I’ve recently gotten from traveling has come from being an explorer – seeing, hearing, feeling and experiencing new places. Recharging my batteries by expanding my day-to-day world. Today, however, I’m relishing a different type of fulfillment. One that comes in the familiarity, tradition and memories of being back in a special location, recharging in a completely different way. 

I’m happy I get to be here this week. To relax and know that just being here is enough. To spend time with my family and add new memories to the abundance of stories we already tell about this place. And perhaps, most importantly, to let my kids see me in a place that is good for my soul so they can recognize that feeling for themselves when they find a special place of their own.