Irreplaceable Moments…
Posted by Robin Easton
The other day my blog rank went up to 66.9 in Blog Catalog, an online blog directory at http://www.blogcatalog.com/ I thought, “Huh, that’s cool.” A few days later my sweetheart suggested I shelve the blogging for a day and that we drive north to Ghost Ranch, New Mexico and go for a hike. We hadn’t hiked together for awhile due to various commitments, so I jumped at the chance. During the drive we got really goofy and laughed so hard that my gut ached like crazy. I loved it! At Ghost Ranch we climbed up a steep ravine into the desert where we found huge mountain lion tracks with at least half inch claws, as well as badger, coyote and elk tracks. The sunset was breathtaking. It was an unforgettable day.
An hour after we arrived home I turned on my computer to check email and approve comments for my blog. My blog rank had gone down from 66.9 to 64 and I felt bummed like I was slipping, not doing enough, etc. I mentioned my feelings to my sweetheart and he asked, “Would you trade one minute of our precious day to have those points back?” We both burst out laughing. His question made crystal clear what was most important in my life.
The next day someone who had seen my blog rank at 66.9 in Blog Catalog asked what my rank was now. I told them it had gone down two points. They said, “If you want to “get ahead” and “be somebody” you have to really work the system. This person knew nothing of my life (me), what I’ve accomplished, lived, seen and done. They didn’t ask about my values, what I treasure most in life. It was just assumed that being at the top was the only worthwhile accomplishment and I simply had to “get ahead”. Anything less was looked down upon.
Well, I thought, I have “a head” (LOL) and I use it to decide what is most important to me. I also have a huge heart that is vibrantly alive and knows what it needs to thrive, not for just a day, a week or a year, but for all of eternity. I can honestly say that I have lived, really lived, a hundred lifetimes in one. And I continue to paaaack life into each of my day, and yet I still hunger for more. It seems the more alive I become the more I hungry I am for Life. It will never be enough, nor would I want it to be. That is the magic of “being in Love”.
I ask myself every day, “What will feed my soul and fill me with so much Life that I want to weep and laugh at the same time?” I ask myself, “What am I NOT willing to give up?” The answer for me is: “I want time alone with my sweetheart. I want to get to know him anew everyday. I want to see all the sunrises and sunsets. I want to listen to raging storms ripped by jagged lightening. I want to lie in a field on star-
filled nights and count shooting stars. I want to see every flower, animal, rock and tree. I want to cry and laugh and hug and take in so much life I can no longer contain it.”
Accomplishments are a good thing, just as goals can inspire us to dream, grow and have a better life, but in our striving we must never lose sight of what is real and important to us, whatever that is. I check in with myself all day long and try to find a balance between my goals and my hands-in-the-Earth life. If I don’t I will miss the irreplaceable, the reason for my existence. I may never come this way again so I don’t want to miss a single raindrop.
Love,
Robin
PS I just found out that my sweetheart has three days off this weekend. It is ages since we had more than a day off together. We are going to the ancient ruins of the Anasazi in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. I hope to have some pictures for you when I return. You will be able to post comments while I am away. I sincerely hope that I will hear your heart speak on this page. Your comments mean a lot to me and touch me deeply. They are one of the precious rewards of sharing.
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This Site: © Robin Easton
Website: http://www.nakedineden.com
Blog: http://nakedineden.com/nakedinedenblog/
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35 Comments so far...
David Says:
29 May 2008 at 2:12 am.
Very nice Robin. Thank you. And thank you for introducing me to Henry and From Dusk til Dawn. I have been enjoying it this morning.
You inspire me to be more enthusiastic about blogging and life Robin. Your soul shines so brightly. I think you may be the High Priestess of the Blogosphere.
It is a lucky day to find you and I plan to make sure my readers have that opportunity soon (If they don’t look at the blogroll already). I never understood why that number you talked about goes up or down. But I can’t imagine yours will be down for long.
Waiting in anticipation for your next photos and report.
David
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Amber Says:
29 May 2008 at 4:12 am.
I hear you! I got all into the ratings game, and then realized that it isn’t a game I enjoy playing.
I don’t bother with any of it anymore, other than Entrecard. I use it to surf for other people’s blogs, and gets me traffic, and is low-pressure. 
I’d rather be playing or gardening or ANYTHING over blogging most days. That’s why my writing drops off after spring! ;D
If you need me, me and my kitty will be in that sunbeam on the floor over there, living the good life!
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J Says:
29 May 2008 at 7:51 am.
What a great post. I love those moments when something snaps my focus back to what is important in life. Your post in a small way did that for me today!
Thanks!
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Shirley Says:
29 May 2008 at 8:45 am.
BC is like that. I’ve come to the conclusion it really doesn’t matter about rank. As long as my sites show up on the first page when I google all is good.
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don Says:
29 May 2008 at 9:05 am.
I think everyone who starts blogging goes through a rating thing. I sure did. Fortunately exhaustion sets in eventually, and then you just write for yourself. I still beg for hits on humor-blogs.com, but only so I don’t drop below the level of getting my posts on the front page.
Chaco Canyon! That’s so great. My wife and I went there as a part of our southwest driving honeymoon 18 years ago. What a beautiful place! Envy has now ruined my morning. It’s your fault. Thanks Robin.
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Greg Says:
29 May 2008 at 9:32 am.
Beautiful blog, Robin, and a very interesting post. I always love knowing that someone has visited the blog or been touched by what I’ve done there, but it’s easy to get sucked into that “ratings” game. I’m glad I discovered your blog, though, and I hope to return when I can to boost your numbers a little.
What a beautiful sunset–to top off what sounded like a delightful day away from technology–and I enjoyed your shadow self-portrait, too.
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Charles Sapp Says:
29 May 2008 at 12:39 pm.
Excellent post Robin. I especially enjoy the personal question to self. I consider it a rarity that we self reflect and wish to understand and rediscover someone, rather it is your sweetheart or even yourself. I commend your quest and hope that you discover all the treasure you seek. I will be a continued regular reader.
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timethief Says:
29 May 2008 at 1:30 pm.
“Well, I thought, I have “a head†(LOL) and I use it to decide what is most important to me. I also have a huge heart that is vibrantly alive and knows what it needs to thrive, not for just a day, a week or a year, but for all of eternity. I can honestly say that I have lived, really lived….a hundred lifetimes in one. And I continue to paaaack life into each of my days…and yet I still hunger for more. It seems the more alive I become the more I hungry I am for Life. It will never be enough….nor would I want it to be. That is the magic of “being in Loveâ€.”
Dear Robin,
I do so enjoy reading your posts and so strongly identify with what you write. Carpe diem — seize the day and love every minute of it. This is the lesson I learned from rising above the victim mentality that every abused child has to overcome, from surviving a horrendous car crash, from outliving a terminal illness and, from learning my lessons about fear and how it can paralyze us — lessons learned from every scary animal and plant in the forest in the wilderness. Sometimes I feel a little blue but then a friend like you shines like a bright star into my darkness and I’m up again actively involved in the celebration of life and love.
Thanks so much for being my friend. I love you.
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Mike Foster Says:
29 May 2008 at 1:53 pm.
Hi Robin
That was a wonderful post. It deals with balance in life, a topic I often write about (and discuss via video on my video site). The answers are far from simple, but the enjoyment often comes not from the end results, but from the effort, the journey, the memories. Thanks for such an inspirational blog. And thanks for all the kind words about my site.
peace,
Mike
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soulMerlin Says:
30 May 2008 at 4:45 am.
Dearest Robin ~ this post has just come at the moment I needed it. I know what my own heart needs and I get angry with myself for the time I waste and for the fact that I know I need to change so many aspects of my working life, in order that I can live each moment, instead of constantly looking over the drudgery toward a ficticious heaven. It takes courage to change and to follow a different path. Like a mountain terrain, I know I must proceed carefully. But Robin…you give me a courage and a positivity to do just that.
“It was just assumed that being at the top was the only worthwhile accomplishment and I simply had to “get aheadâ€. Anything less was looked down upon.
I will remember that line…and smile.
thanks
henry.
ps: your dedication is lovely and has given me energy and a simple peace.
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Susan Says:
30 May 2008 at 6:00 am.
Hi Robin- wow, thanks for this post! Your words reflect my feelings exactly. I have been really busy with things this past month and have not been able to get much time pulled together to do some blogging and I had been feeling frustrated about that…but really it is about the balance…some days I can be at my computer writing all day and then look up at the clock and say…oops! no dinner again for family tonight…then I think…if I spend all my time writing, I’m not living and experiencing…so I have laid down the pen for awhile to jump fully into the summer months of living…seeing…doing…and enjoying without frustration…so what if things drop a bit in the blogging world at my end…
Enjoy your travels! Susan
Sometimes it is so easy to get lost among the happenings of the day and not fully taste the joys that are laid all around us…my hubby and I have been in a rediscovery of appreciation for each other mode the past month…it brings the relationship to another high!
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horatio salt Says:
30 May 2008 at 7:48 pm.
People who must know about such stuff say that only one thing really matters when it comes to websites or blogs. It’s content. (Not numbers or illusory goals or arbitrary measures of success imposed by others or ‘look at me’ striving). Seems to me the same thing is true of life, as well. You’re certainly filling yours up — your life, not just your blog — with good content…
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Brent Diggs Says:
30 May 2008 at 11:03 pm.
Good decision Robin.
Blogging can be fun, but it can also suck your soul. Never regret time well spent with loved ones and beauty. You just can’t put a number on that.
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Lilly Says:
31 May 2008 at 1:35 am.
Robin, don’t worry about the truly meaningless numbers, just enjoy writing the words and the people will come (as they are already). Hope you have a wonderful weekend and can’t wait to see those photos. You know what’s important and that’s such a powerful reminder for us all!
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journeytime Says:
31 May 2008 at 11:53 am.
robin,
great posting–falling into the traps is part of the human experience,no matter how “enlightened “we think that we are.
it is when one has that lust for life –it is almost a sence of urgency—to try and make every minute count and to be able to be present in all the minutes that one is awake.
is one ever truly awke to the moment and each and every moment.
we seek perfection and altthough we might never reach that perfect state, we should never give up on that dream.
we live in the duality of seeking the perfection in this reality, whereas it exists in a state of higher vibration in another paralell reality.
do we then say that we should now give up—-NEVER!
it is in the perspective of how we “see” and not just look and deciding on the priorities in our lives—ratings are “nice”—-do we need them??
unless we are so consumed that we truly forget what is important!
if it is ratings then so be it!
but if one seeks to embrace and surrender and pass through this life in an expanding mode, then those kind of attachments have to be placed in perspective and dropped.
it is far better to cultivate the seeds which are next to one then try and manipulate things from a distANCE.
robin, thank you for a timeous reminder and i am slightly envious of you going to Chaco Canyon.
it has always been one of the places i wanted to visit.
namaste friend
take care
derick
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Sandpiper Says:
31 May 2008 at 12:34 pm.
Hi Robin! I enjoyed this post very much. I don’t pay attention to the ratings because that’s not why I blog. The reason I started to blog had nothing to do with ratings. It’s all about sharing. Ratings turn it into a competition between blogs, and it will only become frustrating, because it’s not always in our hands what those numbers are. Let’s say that we do get to the top of the rankings, then what? Do we get a medal? Does something magical happen? What you do on your blog is your prize and nobody can take that from you. The things that say you want in life tell me that you have your head on straight. It’s all about life and people and things that you love. Those are the best rewards we can receive.
Enjoy your weekend in one of the top places I want to visit someday!
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Liara Covert Says:
31 May 2008 at 6:59 pm.
Life is an adventure. Wherever you are and whatever you do, you are experiencing a process. You decide what information to take in and how you will interpret it. Its heart-warming to reconnect with nature because you remind youself this is the core of what you are. Happy hiking. Listen to the rocks and feel the music of the sunrises and sunsets. Many treasures await you right now and also the more you open your senses and delve into your mind.
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the fearless blog Says:
1 June 2008 at 12:18 pm.
Every time I read one of your posts, your words clearly describe your love for life. In every line I hear love, passion and acceptance. In every line, you radiate compassion and joy. Your excitement, your candidness and your appreciation for everything you have and all that you are resonates in your stories and photos. You remind me of “To have lived, but never loved…is not to have lived.” I think of Henry David Thoreau, the romantic poets and the many stories of journeys not taken and the regrets that followed. You my friend…want no regrets and hunger for many more journeys. I hope your “energy” and your “force” reach out to many as it has to me. Great post!
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wendy Says:
2 June 2008 at 12:01 pm.
Robin
You know I never even think to check what any of my Rankings are. Just like to see visitors, commentators (I think that is the word LOL) and especially new email subscribers. Like I did with yours.(wink)
I love weekends away with hubby. Just won’t trade them for being online, not in a moment. Life is to short to not share as many precious moments with my best friend.
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Larry McDowell (GuitarMusings) Says:
2 June 2008 at 1:20 pm.
Great post. I love the pictures you posted. Well worth the price of those few points.
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lizh Says:
2 June 2008 at 4:09 pm.
As usual, another inspiring post as to what’s important in life. We should all take a page out of your book and try to always live life to its fullest.
There is so much to be gained from the simple and basic things in life that we too often shortchange. Spending time with a loved one or nourishing one’s soul is more important than most things that occupy our time.
I’m glad you opted to hike with your sweetie…an outing which no doubt produced a memory that will be cherished for many years to come…outshining, by far, any ranking a blog could ever hold.
Thanks for sharing…well done.
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Dr. Rob Says:
2 June 2008 at 7:42 pm.
In response to your last comment on my blog, I wouldn’t cut one word from your post. Excellent and I loved the pics too.
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Marvin Says:
3 June 2008 at 12:08 am.
Very well said, Robin. I won’t say that I never look at my blog’s ratings, but I realized early on that focusing on ratings wasn’t very satisfying and would take too much time and energy away from activities that were more important to me. I’ll just do my own thing and let the ratings fall where they may.
Thanks for your visit and comment. Visit often and increase my hits.
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Chelle B. Says:
3 June 2008 at 4:55 pm.
You are so right, Robin. Some days I worry more about ratings and traffic and all those silly things, but for the most part I try to remember that I am sooooooo lucky to be living in one of the most beautiful places on earth and then I realize:
Dang it! I need to stop messing around on BC discussions and go post some new pictures of it on my photo blog. :p
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David Says:
4 June 2008 at 1:47 am.
I hope to hear about the weekend sometime. I know you made it back in one piece! That’s always good. Things have been going very well around here and it doesn’t have anything to do with ratings I am happy to say.
Life is very good sometimes and it has never been this good. I say this as a word of encouragement to those who have not yet turned fifty. Fifty something is an oasis. It’s a lovely place. Middle age is something to enjoy and look forward to for many.
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Rebecca Says:
4 June 2008 at 5:33 am.
I wouldn’t worry at all. You have a great blog and there is no doubt it will continue to soar. Enjoy yourself while you can!
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Bird Says:
4 June 2008 at 6:03 am.
Wow, I didn’t even know that you got rankings on blog catalog! Hmmm, just keep writing it for you, jumping one way or another according to an audience can mean all kinds of creative death. If life isn’t about fun it isn’t worth living, so good for you and never favour your blog over hiking. I mean, that’s also where you get your material, right? What would you say if all you looked at all day long was a keyboard?
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atsuo Says:
4 June 2008 at 6:10 am.
Hello Robin. Thank you for adding me to your friends list.
I am quite new to blogging. So regarding your point fall, having time with your sweetheart has more irreplaceable status. Your blog is very cool, the points will start increasing
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Whiteotter Says:
4 June 2008 at 7:18 am.
Hello Robin, I have been trudging through pc problems, so I am at the moment unable to post pictures, but can still use the internet just fine, so I am trying to re-subscribe to my favorite blogs. I read your post today and was struck with the fact that I don’t even know what my blog cat. rating is… and to be honest I really don’t care to know. For me, the heartfelt comments from the viewers is more than enough of a rating. You are right, it does take a lot of work to keep these blogs going in the direction that we originally intended them for. But I guess I figure if we do our best and don’t loose sight of who we are, then it will all work out in the long run. And dear soul, I know you would NOT trade one second of your day for a higher rank on the internet, and if you had known before you left that that is what it would have cost you (or more) you would have gone in a heartbeat!
I SO envy your trip to Chaco Canyon. I have never been there, but it is on the TOP of my to-do list. I was going to go this last winter, but after searching it online it looked like they were mostly closed. I can’t wait to go there!! Enjoy your trip and bring back lots of pictures…thanks for sharing…
~Stacey
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Jonathan Crouch Says:
4 June 2008 at 11:34 am.
Hi Robin.
Stopped by after your very kind and encouraging comments over at BlogCatalog – thank you.
Mandy and I have just joined a gym after realizing that all day in front of a computer or heat press followed by a quick stop for dinner then more computers and image prep at home in evenings wasn’t helping anyone – especially us.
So we’ve taken the plunge and are actively trying to stick to one night a week off + a weekend day (ish).
Gotta go but I found your post very inspiring.
Jonathan (wandadog)
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Brenda Says:
5 June 2008 at 12:44 pm.
I think we’ve all been there. I just know that if I’m not taking time to LIVE, I cannot create meaningful content for my blog … and the latter is why I got into blogging, not to achieve numbers! So keep delivering compelling posts (like this one) and I, for one, will keep coming back!
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jenn Says:
5 June 2008 at 6:13 pm.
A great post…I myself don’t pay attention to my blog ranking..which is low..but don’t exactly know the number. I do watch the number of hits it gets from now and then. I also plan on revisiting you here..as you are a wonderful and inspiring writer.
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Dark Angel Says:
6 June 2008 at 7:35 am.
Its hard not to be drawn into the competition that is blog ranking… which is why we join all these directories, but I’ve discovered that it takes my mind from my original intention of having a blog, which was to have a place i could put down all my thoughts. I have never checked my ranking, and just did so now after reading your post
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cheritycall Says:
27 October 2008 at 1:44 am.
Hello, Do something to help those hungry people from Africa and India,
I created this blog about that subject:
on http://tinyurl.com/6p6lb8
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Liara Covert Says:
25 November 2008 at 6:06 am.
As I re-read this post and take in the timeless photography, I am reminded that we are each a shadow of each other. We are each a stage in the learning curve of another soul. As we move more deeply into our own self-reflection, we sense meaning everywhere.
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