Ti Tree Musings from EJH

Am I being ridiculous to call Elizabeth a "guest blogger"?? Welcome her to the site and maybe she'll appear more often!

Elizabeth's Reflections from Ti Tree:

I have not felt this fantastic in a long time! Life in the Northern Territory has been a balance of mind, body, and soul for me. In medical school, my schedule has been weighted, and I have had a difficult time balancing mind with body and soul. Every day, I tell Stephanie Jane a simplicity of her reality that I appreciate. One morning, I counted the steps from our door to the threshold of the clinic, a total of 150 steps. As we undertake our commute, the ground comes alive. Hidden amongst the red dirt and sporadic tuffs of grass, grasshoppers prelude your arrival, scattering in disarray like popcorn in hot oil having no order to their chaotic retreat. Life is so vivid and raw here!

Most mornings begin with watching the sunrise over the horizon while we jog along red dirt paths. I love watching sunrises, or sunsets. The sun is a daily reminder to be true to oneself. The sun rises and sets without fail. Every morning the sun will rise in the east and every evening the sun will set in the west; it is a constant that we can rely on. We must be honest to ourselves about what makes us happy, what our goals are, and what we find important in life. There is one life to live, and when the sun sets on mine, I want to know that I lived it to the fullest. Medicine has a peculiar way of swallowing you whole and spitting you out well-educated, but incomplete, financially incompetent, and, for the first time, no directional advice. It is a continual struggle to maintain balance. Ti Tree has been a time of reflection for me, a time for me to revisit my motivations, my aspirations, and my goals. Ti Tree is the sunrise that I need before I enter the next era of my medical training.

Some of my favorite parts of Ti Tree have been the night sky with a string of constellations, seeing either a sunset or a sunrise (or both!) every day, red dirt contrasted by the green trees, morning runs, and afternoon tea time. I love the simplicity of the Aboriginal people. But my most favorit-est part of Ti Tree has been time. Time to do anything with nothing to accomplish. I journal, I exercise, I read, I nap. I think about my garden this spring, about Monte’s upcoming retraining-training regime, and the color of my bedroom next year. I plan my marathon training schedule, a financial budget on a resident’s salary, and the night’s meal. I love to think about anything and everything. I aimlessly wander among my field of thought and when I come across and enticing thought, I think about it more.

Stephanie Jane has constantly challenged me to explore parts of myself that have lain dormant for the past several years. This ‘guest posting’ was, needless to say, her idea. I loathe the idea of writing because I feel I can never convey my thoughts appropriately. As I write, she is chiding me with a smile and ‘I told you so’s’ from across the room because I have spent an entire Saturday morning writing. I am so thankful that even though distance usually separates us, we maintain a closeness that only sisters can have. She knows how to encourage like a big sister and to let no answer be the best answer like a best friend. I have loved being part of her reality this past month!

So, here’s to completing my guest/first-ever post and to wholeness! Cheers!