Forty years is made up of a whole lot of individual days. It is what happens routinely in those days that add up to make a life, or a marriage. Sure, vacations are nice, breaks from the routine, opportunities to do some different things and see some different places. But vacations are just that - temporarily vacating the familiar. Then it is back to the familiar. One of our philosophies of creating a happy life, and marriage, is to make the familiar - the everyday days with the everyday tasks … [Read more...] about 40 Day Love Fest: Daily Marriage Practices for Easy Living
40 Day Love Fest: Kindness Guides Our Days
This song sums up what we strive for...in our day to day connection. ps Let us know if you love this song by David Wilcox as much as we do. Dave and Helene Van Manen celebrate living intentionally together for 40 years with honoring 40 days during the summer of 2016. They have joined forces to raise children, create music, build a community non-profit and more. Kindness is one of the secret ingredients in their recipe for loving. … [Read more...] about 40 Day Love Fest: Kindness Guides Our Days
40 Day Love Fest: Books That Taught & Inspired Our Marriage – The Early Years
We love books! Sometimes a book can change your life - after you read it, you can't see or do things the same way you saw or did them before. In our early years we found books that helped shape our shared interests, values and ultimately our life together. Some books can be that powerful, and here is a short list of some of the books that have had such an influence on our lives: Living the Good Life by Helen & Scott Nearing Living close to the land, growing food, simplifying, minimizing … [Read more...] about 40 Day Love Fest: Books That Taught & Inspired Our Marriage – The Early Years
40 Day Love Fest: Music Brought Us Together – The Van Manens are born
In the beginning, there was music. If there is a thread that connects the entire length of our marriage, as well as the couple of years we were together before we were married, it is music. Making it and listening to it. Just a few months before we met, Dave did his first public performance at his high school (Brooklyn Tech) after abandoning the plan to become a professional football player (his not-quite 5'7" stature had something to do with this abandonment) and setting his sights on a … [Read more...] about 40 Day Love Fest: Music Brought Us Together – The Van Manens are born
40 Day Love Fest – Our Magical Mystery Marriage
We've been talking about how to honor and celebrate our 40 year wedding anniversary (which we cannot even believe we are saying "forty"). We originally thought we would take 40 days off (one for each year), but that did not work out with our work schedules. So we grew that idea into creating the "40-Day LoveFest," which will consist of doing something special each day for 40 days to celebrate these 40 magical years, including taking time each day to remember the years, the ups and downs, the … [Read more...] about 40 Day Love Fest – Our Magical Mystery Marriage
Redrock Wilderness Retreat, Part 4
DAY FOUR Up at first light, I break camp as the canyon slowly becomes day. I am on the trail as the first rays of sunlight hit the upper walls of the canyon. As I hike these last few miles, I am filled with a great sense of energy and lightness. Yes, my pack is a bit lighter, having eaten most of the food I packed in, but that’s not really the reason for this feeling. Sixty feels pretty darn good if you ask me! Quiet, silence, peacefulness, stillness – these words all come to mind as I … [Read more...] about Redrock Wilderness Retreat, Part 4
A Redrock Wilderness Retreat, Part 3
DAY THREE Except for a gusty wind that woke me several times, I had a warmer and better sleep last night. I climb out of the tent to a cloudless, desert blue sky. Oatmeal, nuts and tea are my fuel for a hike that, at this moment, I am not sure how far will be. I start up the wash where I get my water and continue until I reach an unpassable pass were it not for the two ladders the Park Service has conveniently provided. Without them, it would be a quick mile hike to a fifteen foot vertical … [Read more...] about A Redrock Wilderness Retreat, Part 3
A Redrock Wilderness Retreat, Part 2
DAY TWO I slept cold and poorly last night. The slow leak in the air mattress, which eventually eliminated the insulating layer of air between me and the cold rock underneath, might have had something to do with it. I was happy to see the light of the new day through the walls of the tent. Tonight I think I’ll do a middle-of-the-night refill and see if that helps. I decide to warm my slowly waking body by exploring around the camp. Surrounded by slabs of slickrock poised at every angle, … [Read more...] about A Redrock Wilderness Retreat, Part 2
A Redrock Wilderness Retreat, Part 1
DAY ONE The clock in the car reads 6:21 as I pull out of my morning driveway and head down the dirt road. Destination: Elephant Canyon, Utah! I listen to NPR as I work my way south towards I-25, and then west on US160. Presidential candidates Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Marco Rubio, Hillary Clinton, and Ted Cruz seem to monopolize the news stories. Especially Donald Trump. I climb La Veta Pass and am happy to lose reception. Enough of Donald. I leave Cortez on Hwy 491 and immediately see … [Read more...] about A Redrock Wilderness Retreat, Part 1
Looking Back at Turning 50 on a Wilderness Retreat
I turn 60 next month. I will turn 60 only once, and so I've been thinking about what I might do to acknowledge this milestone (and try to understand how I could already be 60!). This led me to dig up a little essay, which I called Living in Awe, that I wrote when I turned 50. I can now say without hesitation that I am so glad I carved out a few days to step away from my busy life ten years ago to acknowledge that milestone. A decade later, I can still remember lots of details from retreating … [Read more...] about Looking Back at Turning 50 on a Wilderness Retreat
