Adventure I am taking: Catalina Island Camping
Sept 17th is my youngest son’s birthday. This year we decided to do something different to celebrate him and landed on tent camping on Catalina Island at Little Harbor Campground. The adventure began by driving from San Diego to San Pedro (Long Beach, CA). We then took the Catalina Express ferry for an hour over to the secondary port of Two Harbors. Luckily, the visitors center offers a gear drop service for $30 round trip of your heavy bags to the campground. From there, we hiked approximately 7 miles with about 2000 feet of elevation along the ridge line overlooking the ocean to the campsite. The hike was strenuous but was absolutely gorgeous. We were able to snorkel, make smores, and take our picture with the wild bison that come and go throughout the area. The lack of wi-fi, the slower pace of camping life, and the time together were fantastic. I would highly recommend getting over to Catalina, especially if you can time it with good weather. The campsite was reserved through this website.
Community member I am mourning: Raul G.
On Sept 13th a long-term Aligned Life community member passed away. He died from an aggressive form of cancer. I decided to include this for Trending Tuesday when I thought about the type of person he was and how he chose to live. I believe that by looking at the qualities this person possessed we can be reminded of how we may choose to live. Raul drove from Menifee to come to the office to receive his chiropractic care. He knew all of the staff by name and connected with everyone at every visit. He was a teacher at an adult school and loved Raiders football. He cared deeply for his health and would ask deep questions about my wellness philosophies. Raul always said what was on his mind, which I loved, because I never had to guess where I stood with him. He was never afraid to ask questions about his health and his care. He was a sharp dresser and always had a matching outfit from head to toe. He lived a life of purpose, connection, and commitment. I will miss my friend and I hope that many of the qualities he possessed will be passed along to the rest of our community.
Quote I am repeating: “The most painful goodbyes are the ones that are never said and never explained.” ~ Unknown
Have you ever had a phone call you knew you should make, but it made you feel uncomfortable and so you procrastinated or never made the call at all? A week before Raul (see above) passed, I knew that I should call him to check on how he was doing. I wanted to let him know that the team and I were thinking of him, but it felt awkward and I didn’t want to call. I have had more of these types of potential conversations as I have gotten older and have become responsible for more people. I have learned that although it may feel strange pressing the call button, your heart may race and you may feel sweaty, in the end, it is always the right thing to do. Looking back, I am glad that I spoke to Raul that day. It was great to hear his voice one more time. This week, if there is a conversation you know you need to have but you are nervous about reaching out, take a deep breath, be brave and make the call!
Have a kick ass week everyone!
In Health,
Dr. Devin Shea, DC
