I didn’t spend much time in Huntsville State Park as a kid, but I do feel like it was a solid “go-to” when we did choose to camp. As a kid, I didn’t exactly appreciate the level of planning that camping requires. As I get older (and become the responsible one), I recognize the multiple checklists that are made and completed in my head before any tent stakes are pulled out, before any kindling collected to maintain a fire or mallows prepped to char and melt milk chocolate atop a graham cracker.

But, in a turn of phrase, I actually am excited about not only discussing going into the woods. I want to discuss going into the “woulds”.

Anyone who knows me well is likely to describe in vivid detail the many times that I appear in my own thoughts. I am prone to overthinking, in that I attend to the world around me by processing events as they happen. The older I get, the more I find myself processing.

Last week, after about 2 weeks in the body shop from an accident where someone hit my parked and unoccupied car, I noticed that the brakes were not functioning the way that I expected. So, I took the vehicle in to be inspected by a mechanic I trust, and ended up replacing quite a bit of the brake system itself.

I wasn’t happy about the amount that it would cost, but I also trusted that repairing what I had in my older model car would be a better fit than a newer vehicle (this go around). So, I authorized the charges and took a breath.

I still am grappling with that decision, as much as I would like to say that I am not.

I think about the money going toward a loan down payment.

And, while this may not be the exact situation that you may be facing, how often do we stay in the “woulds”? The moments that when it comes to the big decisions in our lives that we have a harder time trying to swallow.

It’s in those moments that I find myself saying that I need to avoid my head. It’s those woulds that can drive someone a little stir crazy. And, in those moments, I easily would prefer being at a great place like Huntsville State Park instead of bouncing around my own head.

The track this week is a cover by The Avett Brothers of a Brandi Carlisle tune by the name of “Have You Ever”. The track comes from 2017’s “Cover Stories” which was a benefit album that supported the charity War Child. Carlisle is Seattle born and raised, so I imagine that in many ways the woods she pens about are different than the pines I am used to. But, captured intimately and with grace is a tune that brings me joy to hum along to.

So, I am going to focus this week on humming instead of revisiting the things that maybe I would have done.

Until our next journey, take care of one another.