254. Home Roots {LC's Journey 34}

I'm going to fast forward today now. After my mom and I left Dodge city. We got the hell out of Dodge. We made it home. We drove a 12 hour day, which. Turns out I'm able to do. And it was a lot easier with my mom because we split the driving. We made it to Northfield, Minnesota, and I'm realizing at this moment, That I. Went to two places, three times In the year and a half that I was traveling. Minnesota where I was born. And Bennington Vermont. Hm. old home, new home vibes, maybe. This is where I'll tell you. How I stumbled upon. My birth home. I went to Minnesota in part. Two. Go up to lake superior. The north shore where I was born. I also went there to visit my family. It was a very. Cathartic time. And not as cathartic as the second two times became. It was lovely to be there in August. It's warm in August in Minnesota. It's sunny. And. Being able to go up to Duluth. And then subsequently silver bay was. Really I believe important. I hadn't been to like superior. Since I left for Ashland, Oregon in 2011. So it had been. About 11 years. I carried a stone with me that I found, or that revealed itself to me the last time I had been up there. It is an agate. There are many agates in and from lake superior. It's a large agate. Well, it's large compared to other ones you find there. And it has a triangle shape in it. It's beautiful. When I found it. I knew it was a gift from the lake to let me know that mother It was always with me. Mother. You know, the energy of mother. She's here. And that lake. Is truly my birthplace and. The power of that water. Is always there. And we'll always have my back in. Loves me. Returning to the lake was beyond special. And I love Duluth. It's a cute little, well, it's a, it's a cute city. And. One day I drove up the coast a little bit, or I guess it's not a coast. It's the shore. I drove up the shore a little bit because I found a hike to do. That was rated I think moderate. Maybe hard. And at least five miles with short my criteria. And. I got out. I started walking up. This hike. And that part of the shore already feels like. I'm from here But as I was walking, maybe three quarters of a mile in, I turned to my right and I see a water tower. And my heart stopped for a second. And my breath suspended for a moment. My trip around the country. Had the purpose of. Finding home wherever I was. Or being home in myself, no matter where I was. Or who I was with. Can I actually be home in myself no matter what. It was a homecoming. They're in August. I had no idea. How close I was. To the home. Of my birth. I am not. Kidding you. I turned to the right. And I saw this water tower and I said, no, Uh, what. Uh, I was shocked. I was like, I see. That's the water tower. My dad walked with me and my sister up to, to pick blueberries when I was three years old. We moved away when I was for the memory I have. From silver bay. My favorite, I think. Is walking up to pick blueberries at the water tower. There are two water towers one's higher and one's lower. So I said, okay, wait. This is the water tower. I walked over to it. And I was just in this state of awe. And stupor, honestly. I found her. a path, a road. Probably like a utility road or whatever. And I went down it lo and behold, there's the shorter. Wider Watertower. And I'm like, I can't believe how close I have to be close because we walked from my house. To the water towers. Somehow I remember the address. that I was born. At, I was born in a hospital in Duluth, but my, my home was in silver bay and the house on hate circle. 33. Yeah. I know. So I plugged the address into Google maps. And I was 400 and. 32 feet away. Or something like that. So, what did I do? I went home. I walked down. And I walked by it and it was a very strange feeling. And it was a feeling of love. It was a feeling of. Hi. Remember. I know you. You are loved. Go. Fly. Five. You are free. And I went back and hiked. It was awesome. And I picked blueberries and a couple of raspberries. I love hiking. It's just gorgeous up there too. And then. I don't really feel home. Anywhere. Except for where I am. Unless I'm actually in lake superior. So I went to black beach. And silver bay. And everyone else was definitely not going in the water. Because that lake does not heat up past probably fifth. The seven degrees ever. And it was probably about 52 or three degrees that day. But I like a cold plunge. If it's like superior. So I did that. And then I saw this couple who happened to be from Texas and they're like, you are absolutely crazy. And I said, yeah, I know, but I was born here. And I wanted again, so he could take. Photo. Of me being an idiot. Dunking into lake superior and. Just. Cleansing myself. Free and clear and easy. And it was absolutely beautiful and I wouldn't trade that experience. And for the world, The next time I'm up there? Uh, yeah, I'm going in, duh. If it's safe, obviously. Minnesota. Mm. And tomorrow I'm going to tell you about a very challenging aspect of my journey. Home. To myself. Thank you with all my heart and soul. For being here and listening to the experiences that I had. I'd love to hear experiences you've had that bring you home to yourself, or that felt similar to mine in any way, shape or form. You can do that at Laura, christine.us. Until next time I'm sending all the love and then some more. We'll talk again.