Brave Enough To Be Bliss

And I never wavered about staying there, even when I found out it didn’t have a washer and dryer. In the past, I preferred to rent a house to have those appliances instead of staying in a hotel even for a brief one-week stay. I think I shocked Kylee and a couple friends when I told them about it as that just wasn’t like me. But maybe I wasn’t “like me” much at all anymore. Maybe I was more and maybe I was less, but for sure, I was different. Until The Shack, I strongly preferred to stay in places with a separate shower and bathtub so I could enjoy both. The Shack had a very small stand-up shower stall. I have always enjoyed having a large bathroom vanity. The Shack’s bathroom vanity couldn’t have been any smaller. While I don’t cook much, I have only done so on an electric range. The Shack had a gas range. I preferred to stay somewhere without ground floor access because I feel safer without windows that could be looked into. The Shack had only a ground floor and lots of windows that were very easy to see into, which I knew since I had done that myself. I liked to stay in places where the décor is similar to my personal tastes. The Shack could best be described as a fishing cabin, with décor to match. My favorite team is the University of Kansas. The Shack is a place for Michigan Wolverines, not Jayhawks. But that was then, and this is now, and it felt like The Shack symbolized who I had become (with the exception of the Wolverines, of course). The new me, or as some would say, the Ginger 2.0 me, was much more like The Shack. Simple, unique, open, worn but functional, authentic, reflective, comfortable, and emanating a joy and beauty that came not from what it looked like but rather what it was. When I left Kansas City, I had a picture in my mind of what my stay at The Shack would be like. I imagined getting up, opening the blinds to the beauty of the lake with the sun shining. I would take a brisk walk along the lake enjoying the gorgeous view. I thought I would spend hours upon hours writing until my fingers ached with exhaustion from all the words that flowed from my heart and soul. I would get so much done during the day, I would be able to sleep well, eat well and get plenty of exercise. And I would return to Kansas City in a month with a finished, or nearly finished, book.

This was lovely imagery, but not at all what was in store for me.

One evening, I happened to look up from my computer while writing. I immediately grabbed my phone, took this photo, and then ran out the door to get more of the most amazing pink glow all around the lake. It wasn’t the direct

sunset; it was just an orange-pink glow all around the north and east sides of the lake. It was one of the most beautiful sites I had ever witnessed; truly breathtaking.

"There will never be a perfect time or moment to get started. Take one small step today, act before you're ready, take massive action, and just do it!" Navid Moazzez

367