My Mushroom Journey to Healed Trauma, Less Shame, and More Love (Part 8: Enough Time for Coffee and to Pee)

Waking up early the morning I did mushrooms, and as I drive north, I still wonder what the heck I am doing.

Quickly reaching for my phone before it woke up Kate, I silence the alarm in the darkness of the early morning.

It’s 5:45am, May 31st, the day has finally come. Today I will trip to another dimension.

As I unplug my phone and roll out of bed I still can’t totally wrap my head around what I’m about to do.

Ryan wants me up at their place at 8am. They live about an hour away and I want time to stop somewhere for coffee.

“Don’t eat anything in the morning,” he told me. “Sometimes food can dull the impact of the mushrooms. But coffee is fine—just no cream or sugar.” Fine by me. I drink it black anyway.

I shower, brush my teeth, and apply all my normal morning facial serums, creams, and moisturizer. I go back and forth on whether or not to do my hair. I do it. Obviously. That wasn’t ever really a question, was it?

Before I went to bed last night I stared at my closet pondering what to wear. I wanted to be comfortable, but also, I still like to look good (see above note about doing my hair). I’m not sure how many people try and look their best before tripping on psychedelics, but I am who I am. Or at least, I was who I was. More on that, later.

I slip on my black skinny jeans and thread a gray and white belt through its loops. I like this belt, I think to myself. I got it primarily for golfing, but it’s become one of my go-to belts for most occasions. I cinch it tight, having no clue that in only a few hours this belt would become a bit character in my Journey. Again, more on that, later.

Quietly I make my way out of the bathroom, through the bedroom, and toward the front door. As I gather my keys and wallet Kate emerges from the bedroom. She saunters down the hallway and meets me at the front door.

“Have a good trip,” she whispers, pun intended, as I reach for the handle. I turn, she tips up on her toes and kisses my cheek.

“Thanks, babe. I sure hope to.”