leaning into your life
Writer, Speaker, Explorer. Sharing the insights of my spiritual journey.
I want to live a life that is deliberate and purposeful. I want to lean into my life. Follow my journey as I explore learning, changing, and challenges.
About the Author: Gary Merel
Writer, Speaker, Explorer
I turned 66 this year. I am looking at the last third of my life. I want to engage in this part of my life with as much clarity and purpose as possible. I want to feel totally engaged. I want to feel that I am leaning fully into my life. It seems all too easy to get caught in the inertia of aging. It can seem that life has a certain amount of inertia built into it. Change is hard; hard to change the direction of our lives. Our relationships. Our careers. To find the fulfillment we all crave. I don’t want to fall back on “I’ve worked hard, I’m tired and just want to take it easy”. At this point I want to give as much space to allowing my life to unfold as much as I want to move towards achieving the vision I have for myself. I want to explore the intersection of allowing and achieving. It’s at that intersection where the greatest possibilities for life exist. We often hear that “life is short”. I’m feeling that. I’m feeling the uncertainty of life. Life often interjects itself without any warning. This blog is an exploration of all the I’ve done. All that I am currently exploring and all the I would like to do. I welcome your contributions. I am interested your visions. Your challenges. The insights you have had about your personal growth.
Recent Posts
- Bigger Than a Bread Box, Smaller Than a Refrigerator Facing my Mortality
I have been smacked in the face by the reality of my life. I have always been healthy. At 69, my blood work is perfect. I don’t take any prescriptions. I eat well. I’m not overweight, […] - I Received Some Very Unsettling News!
In my previous blog, I had written about being diagnosed with severe anemia resulting in the need for an immediate transfusion. I had also mentioned that I was scheduled for several medical procedures to figure out […] - This Is Not Supposed to Happen!
For a 69-year-old man, I am in reasonably good shape. I regularly do 30 to 40-mile bike rides 3 to 4 days a week. Add to that some rigorous hiking in the foothills of Tucson. I […] - Our thoughts. Our beliefs. Do they always support us?
We all have a belief system. Our beliefs are influenced by family, friends, religion, politics, life experience, and general perceptions and experiences we accumulate throughout our lives. For some people, their belief system is fixed, unyielding, […] - Lost In The Desert
Since spending the last four months in Tucson, many of the blogs I have posted reference the Sonoran Desert. Tucson is a city interwoven into the fabric of the desert. The Sonoran Desert bears witness to […] - Finding Creativity
A few weeks ago, I attended The Linda McCartney Retrospective at the Center for Creative Photography on the University of Arizona campus. I found Linda’s photography moving and evocative. Many of the photographs portrayed intimate moments […] - I Have Some Resentment!
A few days ago, I hiked the Yetman trail. It is 11 miles out and back. I hike about 5 to 6 miles of the trail. The trailhead starts on the far west side of Tucson […] - Getting My Needs Met!
I was having a conversation with a really good friend. We walk and we talk. Something we do often. We talk about issues significant to our lives. We’re about the same age. So we find ourselves […] - I Was Being Stupid and Selfish!
One of our family vacations was to Granada. A sleepy, off-the-beaten-path Caribbean Island. Myself, my wife, our daughter, and our niece packed our bags for a 10-day stay. We rented an amazing bungalow in the hills […]
Lean into your life 