Cape Charles Series: A Journey Back to Myself | Part 1 of 5
My Almost Cancelled Trip Decision
Sometimes the trip you almost cancel is the one your soul needs the most.
This is where my freedom exists.
This is where I find myself and reset my nervous system.
Several months back, I referenced this very trip in my post, When Adventure Is Rest. If you’ve read that post, you already know this trip wasn’t planned as an escape.
This trip was my reset.
Life had been lifing, and quite honestly, I almost cancelled my trip to Cape Charles. Work had been busy. My mind was constantly running. My nervous system felt maxed out, and I was on the brink of shutting down entirely.
Funny how we convince ourselves that the very thing we need is the first thing we should cut.
But something kept pulling at me to take the trip anyway.
Deep down, I knew this wasn’t just another weekend away.
I needed the pause.
Four Hours and Four Bridges Later
I finally had North’s things packed and loaded into the car before mine. If you’ve ever traveled with a German Shepherd, then you already know they somehow require almost as much luggage as we do.
You would’ve thought we were headed on a two-week luxury vacation to Bali with the amount of excitement I had.
The reality?
We were headed to Cape Charles, Virginia.
Four hours and four bridges later, we arrived.
There was excitement in the air and one very happy German Shepherd who knew Mom was taking her on another adventure.
If there’s one thing I love about North, it’s her love for adventure. She’s game on…always.
And honestly, so am I.
This wasn’t some extravagant vacation.
It was simple.
We were fairly local (if you ask me).
It wasn’t expensive.
And we were staying in someone’s once-tool shed that had been beautifully transformed into a tiny Little Pink House.
I couldn’t wait to see it.
Sometimes the Simplest Adventures Become the Best Ones
I’ve learned over the years that my favorite adventures are rarely the biggest ones.
They’re the ones where I give myself permission to simply exist.
There was no rushing.
No packed itinerary.
No pressure to squeeze every minute out of the day.
Just enough space to breathe.
Those always end up being the adventures I remember most.
Thankfully, North has never complained about slowing down. She’s just happy to be by my side, no matter where we’re headed.
I think we could all learn something from dogs.
My Almost Cancelled Trip Moment at the Little Pink House
The moment we pulled into the driveway, I was already in awe.
Before I even walked into the Little Pink House, I found myself admiring everything outside.
The landscaping.
The gardens.
The little artistic touches tucked throughout the property.
I could tell immediately that the hostess had created this place with care and intention.
She was a creative soul, just like me, expressing herself through every little detail.
Then I opened the door.
“Oh my gosh, North…look at this place!”
I wandered from the bedroom to the kitchenette to the bathroom, taking it all in.
The vibrant artwork hanging on the walls.
The handcrafted wood countertops and shelves.
The colors.
The tiny decorative touches.
Everything had its own personality.
Nothing felt ordinary.
Nothing felt mass-produced.
This was not just a Little Pink House, friend.
This was someone’s expression of who they are.
And I was here for every bit of it.
It wasn’t just a place to sleep for two nights.
It was someone sharing a piece of themselves with complete strangers, hoping they’d feel welcomed the moment they walked through the door.
And I did.
Exactly What I Needed
When I booked this trip, I wasn’t looking for excitement.
I wasn’t chasing another bucket-list destination.
I simply needed a pause.
A place where North and I could slow down, breathe deeply, and remember that life doesn’t always have to move at full speed.
Standing inside the Little Pink House, I knew I’d found exactly that.
Sometimes the places that restore us aren’t the fanciest.
They aren’t the furthest away.
Sometimes they’re tucked inside a tiny pink house four hours from home, quietly waiting for us to say yes.
Looking back now, I’m so thankful I listened to that little voice telling me not to cancel.
Because I had no idea what this little pink house—and the people I’d meet because of it—had in store for us.
Stay tuned for what’s next in this series… an unexpected invitation that changed the entire rhythm of my time in Cape Charles.
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