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I have been asked a lot lately about gravel roads, and what they are symbolic for.

I discussed a little bit about their symbolism on the Lift Like a Girl Podcast {Be Your Own (S)hero}. 

This is the mantra for which I live my life. (Well, that and “Peanut butter is not Paleo. Who cares?!”)

I initially wrote about this via, “This is Who I Am” back in February of 2014. Not only is Ryan the man who lets me fly, but he’s also the man who brings me back to Earth, keeping me grounded. He helped me arrive at this place in life where my mantra was born. He also reminds me of it on days and occasions when I need it most.

Gravel Roads

I can’t tell you the number of people who say to me, “I would never have survived growing up in the country, on gravel roads. Didn’t you wish you lived in a big city?” After I’m secretly done rolling my eyes at them, I say, “Actually no, I never missed a big city.” I then turn it on them,

How could you not wish for the calm and peacefulness that only the country can bring?

I grew up, for most of my life, on gravel roads, in the country, where there was a corn field on 3 sides of me. The only way to get to our house from “town” was to take the gravel roads.

Gravel roads are dusty. When you drive on them, they leave a cloud-filled dirt bubble in the air. Paths behind the flying dust are dirty. And so, quite honestly, I can understand why many people think that gravel roads are no luxury.

But here’s the thing, when gravel roads are all you’ve ever known, you learn to find the beauty that lies within them. If not, you’ll stay bitter while traveling on them your whole life. It doesn’t mean we have to love and appreciate them 24/7 (just ask my mom and dad, I sure didn’t), but we must learn to embrace and appreciate them for all that they are…..because they are the roads we’ve been given.

Those were my early days. That is how I grew up. To know me from way back when is to know that my family was never into fancy things or trying to be anyone we simply were not. Those early days, on those gravels roads – that is the person I want to be forever, and those are the humble beginnings I want to embrace forever.

Mantra

My mantra along gravel roads, though, would have never stuck, had life not happened.

After being diagnosed with Colitis and then a whole host of other things, I began this blog. And then I wrote an e-book that has helped thousands. I went back to school and became a CHC (Certified Health Coach) so I could get very clear on how healing was more than just food.

After not being able to conceive on our own, we adopted the most beautiful little girl and I became passionate about children, adoption and the foster care system. We would go on to adopt two more babies from the foster care system (Isaiah and Amiya), and it has become part of who I am and all that I stand for. 

Autoimmune and infertility are not pretty. No one ever wishes to travel those roads. But like the gravel roads I grew up on, if I didn’t learn to embrace them, I’d never find beauty.

And guess what?

Gravel roads are so beautiful.

Autoimmune has been so beautiful.

And, mostly, infertility has been so beautiful.

To call those things beautiful is insane to most, especially since I’ve had (and still do have) days when I wouldn’t wish them upon my worst enemies.

But these are all I’ve ever known, and by the grace of God I do fully and 100% believe that these are His perfect plans and I have embraced all the beauty that lies therein the dust.

Oh, and p.s. Gravel Roads is the book I’m going to write. I will complete #14.

Xox,
SKH