SURFING

One more post about Ecuador which I have been meaning to get back to before I got rudely interrupted by the big celebrations around here with the 5th birthday and all:)

Have you ever surfed? I have done a bit in my life, in fact first learning 4 years ago on the Jersey Shore from my good friend and boyfriend at the time that lives there. The entire trip to Ecuador was all based around surfing so I probably better prove that I actually did that while I was there...and I did...a LOT of it. We surfed 2 sessions per day for anywhere between 45 minutes to 2 hours. Exhausting and super fun. The water was wonderful and as long as there was cloud cover, it was a good time. Without the clouds, we would burn through no matter what SPF we put on so the clouds on this trip were a blessing. One of the greatest parts about surfing is just being in the water. Once you get out beyond the break, there is a peace in sitting and waiting. Sometimes it is with other people and sometimes it is all alone with thoughts and dreams and yourself. I learned a lot about reading what the water is going to do. There is a universal rhythm to the way the water moves and an ebb and flow to it all and to learn to watch and listen for that was a very peaceful and wonderful process. Most of the week I spent inside the break line as I am not interesting in getting completely tossed by some of the huge water we were in. The last few days I was beginning to get really daring as I had learned a lot and the last day I caught a HUGE wave, paddled in, caught it, and rode down the face of it. It was a super cool moment in my life. Unfortunately one cannot catch every moment on camera (though I do try my hardest) but it is a moment and feeling that is locked into my being forever. I am a snowboarder at heart, and surfing kind of fits into that as well. So I asked myself when I was out there on the water...if I love snowboarding so much, what is it that is missing from surfing that makes me not "over-the-top" crazy about it. Don't get me wrong I do like to surf...but I LOVE to snowboard. What I realized is that I love the exploring part of snowboarding, almost like hiking but on a snowboard. My favorite places to snowboard are out west in Colorado and when I am there, not only do I get to ride snow waves, I also get to explore the outdoors with some of those places covering HUGE amounts of area. Some think I must be an adrenaline junkie to participate in some of the sports that I do. It isn't that at all and if you saw how I ride, you would realize it is more of a meditation than anything. It is about being present and aware and in that place there is a lot of peace. RIDE ON!!!!

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These are all the words that describe people's experience here at the Cafe of LIFE, coming directly from them. I do what I do because I love to help people and I love chiropractic and if what I do for other is described from the above words, I feel strongly that is a sign of success...and I am looking forward to many more years ahead!!

PICTURES OF THE FIRST OFFICE

Some pictures of my first office location:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAFE OF LIFE!!!

Everyone always told me that the years go faster as you get older. It is so true and I am in complete disbelief that it has been 5 years since I have opened the doors of the Cafe of LIFE!!! 5 years ago I moved home and I remember looking at all kinds of office space all over Birmingham and Ann Arbor. Those two cities were high on my radar for locations that I wanted to be in. Then one day I was driving around Fenton and there was a building for sale that I thought would be a great fit for what I was looking to create and it began to get me thinking of possibly opening my office here instead. That building was not a good fit after all so I began to look at different spaces for rent and ended up finding the perfect fit and opening my doors on March 12, 2005 at 110 Trealout Dr (across the street from Lovey's on North Leroy). Wow! What an adventure it had been. When I first opened, my priority was to make sure that I was only tied into a 1 year lease since I wasn't sure that I really wanted to be here in Fenton, well and maybe because I was a bit of a commitment-phobe at the time:) So the years have gone by faster than I ever imagined possible and I am still so blessed and fortunate to be serving the Fenton and surrounding communities the "Exceptional Chiropractic Experience" and loving every minute of it. Thank you, all of you who have had any part of helping the Cafe of LIFE to grow roots in this community. I am so grateful to have a place her, to serve you and be able to do what I love to do.

DOMESTICATION

There is a strange things that happens in countries like Ecuador (which I visited last week), as well as Costa Rica (which I visited in December). There are dogs everywhere. All kinds of dogs, mostly mutts and they are all allowed to just roam free and be true pack animals. What was incredibly evident to me this time visiting Ecuador was that none of the dogs are getting hit by cars. Here in the United States, because of how we have domesticated animals and especially dogs, our pets run out into the street with no clue how dangerous the cars are that are heading straight towards them. In these other countries that I visited, the dogs know that the street means danger and that cars are huge dangerous things to be in front of. Now don't get me wrong, I am sure there are dogs hit every once in a while, however if you put a bunch of dogs from the United States down there, it would be a nightmare of carnage. There is an order that is followed, so to speak. The children in those countries are the same way. Many times while we were driving, children around the ages of 3 -5 would be walking along the side of the road without any parents in sight. Donkeys, horses, cows, chickens, pigs...all of them roaming around without limits, all of them staying clear of cars on the roads, all of them contributing to the peaceful life. Now, I am by no means saying that this would be a good idea for this country...not saying that at all. I just thought it was pretty interesting and something to think about...