Where Are You Hiding Out?

Right now, I’m hiding out in the most interior hallway of the house, with a dog crouched fearfully on either side of me.

There’s a Tornado watch in effect right now and a severe thunderstorm is in progress.

This got me thinking about how I used to love going out on the screened porch in the middle of thunderstorms, breathing in the fully alive, vital energy of the storm. Soaking in the moisture, wind, and the sheer wildness of the experience. I loved fully engaging with the cleansing energy of Mother Nature.

Now that I have two dogs that are terrified of thunderstorms, I choose to hide out and comfort them in the hallway (the weather service warnings always caution you to “go to the basement or the most interior room of your house.”)

Maybe this isn’t the best analogy, and maybe I’m actually better off in the hallway, but I started thinking of how else I am hiding out in my life.

When we hide out or shrink back from parts of our lives, it is like we are closing off rooms of possibility in the house of our life. If we aren’t conscious of making those choices, then we can end up living in only a room or two.

We might not even realize it. Maybe we are hiding from a new, exciting engagement in our work because we are waiting for the perfect time, or to have time!

Maybe we hold back from trying something new and creative because we’re not sure we can do it.

Maybe we’re hiding from deeper connection with friends as we cautiously protect our energy.

I’m not saying that we should say “yes” to everything that comes our way. Far from it. I’m just inviting us to make conscious choices about it.

Maybe I should go out on the screened porch and dance in the energy of the storm.

So, where are you hiding out?