Last Tuesday, I shared my private thoughts and wrote about the reason for my stay at the Golden Door Spa in Southern California. I was amazed how many of you connected, in a positive manner, with my feeling that it is OK to think about yourself and your needs. Many of you promised me you would take the time to care for yourselves. For those of you who did not read my musings, please read, “Taking Time to Reconnect with Myself.“

 My plan was to take care of my outer self at the Door. I accomplished my goal. I spent my time taking supervised daily walks in the meadows; through small bamboo forests; down dirt roads lined on both sides with avocado, lemon, lime, and orange trees; into the gardens with all kinds of organic vegetables and fruits; and past the chicken coups where freshly laid eggs were collected for breakfast. I ate healthy, nourishing my body and mind, took daily stretching and Pilates classes on mats and participated in some dance classes. I had daily facials, a massage and a manicure and pedicure. I nourished the outer me and a contentedness found its way back. Each new breath I took was laden with peace.  

The Golden Door offers a variety of mindfulness classes, exploring the inner-workings of one’s mind. I did not take any. But on the fourth day of my stay, a labyrinth and I connected and I found a solution to a serious situation I had been dealing with for years. 

The labyrinth

On the fourth day at the Door, I walked the labyrinth and out of nowhere, I found the inner door to my mind that opened with an answer to a question I had had for years. 

At the Golden Door there are two labyrinths. The one my husband and I drove and then hiked to was primitive, made of rocks and high up in the mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean. When I saw it, my emotions did not pull me to enter. Fortunately, standing beside me was one of the leaders of the Golden Door, Carol, who prompted me to enter. I answered her,  “I have not one question whirling through my mind that needs an answer. I don’t feel drawn to this labyrinth.”  

THE WALK 

“Just start the process and see what happens,” she said in her very calm voice. “After your walk, I have a bag of rocks with inscribed words and you will put your hand into the bag and without looking choose your rock with your personal message.”  

I walked away from her, entered the primitive labyrinth without a thoughtful intention and began.

As soon as I took not more than three steps, darlings, my mind drew me to a 25-year-old serious problem. This labyrinth and my mind in some manner connected and by the time I reached the center, I was in awe that I found my answer. I felt powerful and hoped my rock inscription would be the word “power.”   

THE INSCRIPTION ON MY ROCK 

I was overjoyed with positive emotion as I reached the center of the labyrinth and shared my feelings with Carol. I left the labyrinth to choose my stone. It did not say “power,” as I wished. I actually did not like the stone I chose. Carol told me I would come to love its message in time. And she was right.  

My stone sits on my perfume tray. I see it each day. I see it each night. The word “accept” and its message is far better than the one I wanted. I wanted the word “power” on my rock to give me the emotional strength to take the action I decided upon in the labyrinth.  

Instead, the word “accept” gives me that power to accept my decision. I am grateful. 

The moral of my musings is that each of us is beset with possibly one unsolvable situation.  No kind words, no kind gestures,  no kind anything will solve the problem. Only an action on our part can lay it to rest. And, we must find our way of doing this and then accept our decision. This is our power.  

For myself, I found my way in the labyrinth. My strong action, which I took, finalized my 25-year-old problem without one word. I found my power. I accept my decision. I am smiling. 

Thank you labyrinth. Thank you Carol. Thank you rock. Thank you, Golden Door. You are golden.