Established in the mid-to-late 1800’s, we live in the Historic East End of Boise, Idaho where many relics of days gone feature prominently in the current landscape.
Back in the day, it was customary for a horse drawn carriage to pull up parallel to a perfectly spaced hitching post and set of steps. Once the reins were secured in the iron loop on the hitching post, the driver would open the carriage door and the occupants would descend the steps.
“Hitch your wagon to a star” — the famous quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson — means to aim sky-high and follow your dreams, with the implication that you can achieve anything!
What have you hitched your wagon to?
© Laurie Buchanan
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Tuesdays with Laurie 
amazing – positive energy – bravo!!
Mihrank — Thank you. Have a great day 🙂
Hum, paint maybe Laurie… And clarity of imagination. Something like that.
Terrill — Yes ma’am, I’d have to say you hit the nail on the head. You’re clearly hitched to unleashing your creative potential! 🙂
Love seeing the evidence of years gone by. I’m hitching my wagon to my writing!
Joan – I know you are. And in a BIG way. I can hardly wait 🙂
Mir ist lieber, in einer von Geheimnissen umgebenen Welt zu leben als in einer, die so klein ist, daß mein Verstand sie begreift. R. W. Emerson.
Ich kannte diesen Schriftsteller nicht. Grüsse Ernst
I prefer to live in a world surrounded by secrets than in one that is so small that my mind conceives.
I did not know this writer.
Ernst – vielen Dank für Ihre Anmerkung heute. Es macht Spaß, den Übersetzer verwendend, weil es unsere Reichweite so viel größer macht. Es ist wie Sie sind gerade über die Straße, statt über den Erdball.
Ernst – Thank you for your comment today. It’s fun using the translator because it makes our reach so much larger. It’s like you’re just across the street, instead of across the globe.
To walking this new path on this journey called My Life, with an open mind and heart to connecting with others and looking forward to each new amazingly wonderful blessings that come into my life.
Ann – Open Mind, Open Heart, Connection. Oh, what wonderful ingredients 🙂
🙂 Opens up to endless possibilities 🙂
I like that quote, yet haven’t found it (yet) in Emerson’s many wonderful writings. The rest of it talks about letting the universe do the work, which says a lot to me about letting go and also aligning with nature.
Thanks !
Viewpacific — Letting go and aligning with nature. It doesn’t get much better than that! 🙂
Amazing, Laurie. And I love the quote 🙂
Readinpleasure — I’m glad this post resonated with you 🙂
The 3 P’s … Passion, Purpose, Possibilities …
while staying present to and unpacking those tough spaces in life. Truth be told the greatest transformations in my life followed dark times.
Audrey — I love what you shared here. We’ll call them “Sweet Peas:” Passion, Purpose, Possibilities, staying Present, and unPacking. Like you, I’ve discovered it takes a lot of fertilizer to grow Sweet Peas, but it’s well worth it 🙂
Love “sweet peas”!
Audrey — With “Zipped in the Pod,” you know I’ve got a thing about peas 🙂
Ah Laurie, I think I’m just toooooooo mobile to have ever really considered “hitching my wagon” (for too long) to anything. . .I prefer the idea of double parked while leaving the motor running:)
Alison — I love the word picture you just painted, it made me laugh out loud. I can just SEE you double-parked, motor running, fingers tapping the steering wheel! 🙂
We have several of those hitching post and steps in a local town “Haddonfield” rumor is Dolly Madison served ice cream at Indian King Tavern there… history…
You know some years ago I hitched my wagon to photography and healing energy practice. For some reason they were to be intertwined in some fashion. The photography has been a constant. The Reiki practice was a bit more elusive. Next month I begin to co-facilitate a Reiki share and begin a client base practice as well.
Jeff — I’m so doggon excited for you. Whoohoo! 🙂
That hitching post reminds me of similar stone mounts in Old Lancaster, PA.
What have I hitched my wagon to? Safe to say, I’m aiming for the stars in broad daylight with my seat on my writing chair and my fingers on the keyboard, preserving family history while telling my story.
The Emerson quote is a perfect fit. You are teaching us through your metaphors each week to be wide awake and keep our eyes open for possibilities everywhere.Thank you, Laurie.
Marian – I’m so looking forward to reading your memoir when it hits the shelves! If it’s anything like your blog posts, it’s gonna be a great read! 🙂
Good question. My scope has broadened in the last few years, instead of wanting to be the “World’s Best _____” fill-in the blank, I’d rather be my own Best Me. To be more open, kinder, more generous and more authentic. If I have been sent here for a reason, to play a part in some unfolding story, then it is important that I not stage a performance, but truly be the best Sandi I can be.
Sandi – I absolutely love what you just shared. Many readers may not know that you and I “talk” online via email every single day. I can say for absolutely certain that it’s a pleasure being on the receiving end of the open, kind, generous, authentic YOU 🙂
Thank you, Laurie, your every day good sense and down-to-Earth ability to point out the important things have given me a much broader view of Life and you’re just plain Fun!
Sandi – I’m a gal who loves a great book. I think we were cut from an extremely similar bolt of cloth 🙂
I love the Emerson quote, but your question really gave me pause…I suppose my wagon is hitched to the dream of getting (traditionally) published but to the reality of simply following my dream to write.
Julia – We share a similar dream 🙂
Your post today, Laurie, brought back a few memories… My grandparents had a hitching post next to their driveway and there was carriage still inside the barn behind the house. I was told that my 2nd great-grandfather had a horse named Nellie who used to lived in the barn…
Barbara — How darned COOL is that?! 🙂
To living, Laurie. My wagon is hitched to living my life the best I can.
Carol — yes, Yes, YES! 🙂
I’ve hitched my wagon to awareness. Which, as Carol just said, is probably the same thing as living. But there’s this runaway horse that is sometimes galloping across the Plain of Life and I lose all perspective of everything except holding on for dear life. ha ha ha
Kathy — I love the word picture you painted. I can just see you flying across the plains, hair whipping in the wind behind you as you yell, “Baaaaaaarrrrrryyyyyyy!” 🙂
To a beautiful tomorrow! I just love your writings Laurie! A breath of fresh air. 🙂
The Vanilla Housewife — I’m glad my posts resonate with you. Thank you for letting me know 🙂
I love this quote. When we hitch our wagon we are 100% committed 🙂
I’ve hitched my wagon to learning, growing and sharing with the world.
Val x
Val — Learning + Growing + Sharing = A Beautiful Heart-Based Life 🙂
What a gorgeous banner photo, Laurie. I couldn’t take my eyes off it!
Cynthia — I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I took that photo last week from the top of Bogus Basin (6,200 above sea level). What you see in the far distance is Boise.
Luv u’r pics, they tell amazing stories! Enjoy u’r day.
Hi Laurie
My wagon aint hitched, its still rolling.
No hitching post where I’m headed – no-one’s been there before.
Universal abundance, universal liberty, universal security.
As to my base of operations – Kaikoura seems as good a place as any,and better than most.
Ted — I love your outlook! 🙂
Divine quote by Emerson. Your new home will definitely give flight to the all kinds of inspiration, whether it be in the environment or the cultural places you have already signaled are part of this glorious place. Just thinking of the benign weather that will make Crystal Lake a (bad) memory is enough to break out in a big smile. My slight of your former Illinois home is only in a weather sense, as I know it was very fine in so many other ways. I’m gonna hitch up my post to my school bookshelf in the morning and look again at the marvelous 2014 picture book A HOME FOR MR. EMERSON. 🙂
Sam – Your hitching post sounds great! I love what the book jacket of HOME FOR ME. EMERSON says:
“This moving biography–presented with Barbara Kerley and Edwin Fotheringham’s inimitable grace and style–illustrates the rewards of a life well-lived, one built around personal passions: creativity and community, nature and friendship.”
Thank you, Laurie. I’ve heard of hitching posts but had yet to see one. Now thanks to you I know what they look like. It must be fascinating to go for a walk and have history hit you in the face like that. : )
Hmm, what have I hitched my wagon to?
Using words to build bridges.
Leanne — USING WORDS TO BUILD BRIDGES — that’s an absolutely fantastic hitching post! 🙂
I was traveling when I read this post and had to wait until I had a computer and wifi to respond. But now I can just walk down the hill to the Home Place and take a picture of the hitching post that’s been there since 1740. I’ve hitched my “wagon” to it often, but I like the idea of the stars also. How about a hitching post on earth and a lasso for the stars?
Shirley – Ohhhhhh, I just saw the picture on Facebook. It’s wonderful. Even more so is your idea of “…a lasso for the stars.” I love it!
Laurie, my wagon is actually a ship that travels back and forth through time, propelled through words that change its destination. It is anchored by my family, and fueled by love.
Merrill – I absolutely love the word picture you painted! 🙂
What do I hitch my wagon to? Hmmmmm——-maybe Sara, art, writing, creativity, kindness, etc.
Hugs from Ecuador,
Kathy
Kathy – yes, Yes, YES! 🙂
Not sure about reaching for the stars, but I am more of a hurdle jumper. Just overcoming daily obstacles on my way to wherever I want to go can be quite daunting in itself, but we keep jumping over.
Fatimasaysell — Important in and of itself. Here’s to jumping hurdles. Cheers! 🙂
I have hitched my wagon to living with healthy relationships and making healthy decisions!
Sheila — Amen siSTAR! 🙂
Hitch my wagon …what a lovely expression it reminds me of that film from the 70’s ‘Paint Your Wagon . My dear old dad used to have a realy deep voice and he used to sing ‘I was born under a wandering star’ to us kids …happy days …my dad isn’t with us now but I often think of the fun things he used to do . I ‘m rambling rubbish sorry Laurie .
I recon ‘I’m hitching my wagon to my writing , particularly my poetry , I’m sorry Laurie but
I’ve kept it quiet for years and I want the world and his wife to hear it . So if they decide to chuck moldy tomatoes at me when I read it …I don’t care …just bring it on lol
Cherry – Fond memories are like jewels in a crown. I’m glad you have so many of your dad. I’m excited for you to share your poetry with the world. Interestingly, in next week’s post I write about Traditional Japanese Haiku. Clearly, great minds think alike 🙂
Reading – right now but it is more like I have put the bum in a chair and switch to reading glasses. I have 14 books for July and my next Jaw surgery is July 11th…My 24 book month taught me this is way too many reads for me to commit to. I can’t do anything else… How lucky am I to have all these new authors requesting my reviews! I am so very grateful.
I am coming back to add the link for the Book BREATHE by Kelly Kittel I think everyone knows someone who NEEDS to read this beautiful book –
BREATHE by Kelly Kittel
http://patriciaswisdom.com/2014/06/breathe-a-memoir-of-motherhood-grief-and-family-conflict-kelly-kittel/
Patricia – THANK YOU for leaving the link. This book is definitely on my must-read list.
Patricia – I’m tickled pink for you having almost (not quite) more book review requests than you can handle. That’s fantastic!
I’ll look for, and follow, the link to BREATHE. Thank you for sharing it here 🙂
I was a bit stumped by the question, honestly.
I suppose I’ve hitched my wagon to healing.
(for myself, and others, and sharing the process)
Ntexax99 – HEALING is a fantastic thing to hitch your wagon to! 🙂