Choosing Presence in the Journey + Embracing a Life of Gratitude

She Who Wanders

Mar 29

A Convo with Meryl from @Merylkas

Meet Meryl. This fearless adventure mama is originally from DRC Congo, and today lives with her husband, Pascal, and her daughter, 4 year-old Isabel, in South Africa. Hiking is her passion - a place for personal solace + reflection and where she sees her daughter come to life through the delight of exploration. Pushing her limits and centering personal growth + time connecting with nature in her daily and weekly rituals, Meryl is an inspiration to thousands. The way she shares about prioritizing being present is something we all can aspire to lean into in a world with so many distractions fighting for our attention. Meryl helps give others a vision for what’s possible, as well as a beautiful view of South Africa’s incredible landscapes. I’m so excited to introduce you to her - prepare to be inspired :)

Tell us a little about you and your family like where you’re from, where you live now, how old are your kids and anything interesting or unique you’d like people to know.

Hi, I am Meryl. We are the Mukenge family - me, my husband, Pascal and my daughter, Isabel - and we live in South Africa. We are originally from DRC Congo. My daughter Isabelle - aka Angel face - is 4 years old.

How has spending time outdoors and pushing your own limits helped you become a better person, wife, mom, friend etc.? Take us back to a moment where you had to push yourself beyond your limits, but came out stronger and more inspired on the other side.

Hiking has taught me so much, especially tough hikes. There isn’t a day where I am hiking, and I don’t learn anything. I usually find myself praying while I am hiking, if it’s not asking for strength 😂 then it’s about whatever I am struggling with or learning at that particular moment. On my last hike there were a lot of broken down trees on our paths which made it difficult to cross, so we had to make our own path and that right there was one of my prayers. Sometimes we don’t see the way; we see just the obstacles. But with or without the obstacles, the path is still there. So we must never give up! Make a new path if we have to but never stop moving.

The Great Wanderlust is all about women stepping outside of the box and diving deeper in both travel and in life! The mission is to inspire moms + families to feel fully alive through adventure and exploration! What is your great wanderlust? What most makes you come to life?? Take us back to a moment when you felt that.

I love the freedom I get from being outdoors, and I absolutely love seeing families explore with their little ones. I am also a big advocate for families of color exploring the outdoors because it isn’t something that is often represented, and some families need a little encouragement through visual representation.

It is so inspiring to see you tackling challenging hikes and taking your baby girl along for the ride! Why is it important to you to hike and go on adventures together?

I want my baby girl to experience nature and be wild and free. I feel that nature is the best teacher.

I also want to create memories as a family, and to have the life I never had growing up. I want her to meet different people and learn about different places. There is just so much hiking can offer her, and I just want her to receive it with an open mind and heart.

What are some tips you’d give other parents for successful hikes with their little ones? How can they have an adventure that is fun + exciting for everyone while staying safe at the same time?

Patience and having fun is key. Sometimes we get caught up trying to get to an end point and forget that our little ones are there and that they are also on their own journey. Go slow sometimes, follow their pace , and make the hike a magical experience. Food and snack breaks for little ones are also very important for a successful hike.

What are some rituals, practices or routines that you utilize to take care of yourself so you can show up as your best self in daily life? How do you make yourself a priority in the midst of the many privileges and demands of motherhood?

Spending time by myself is very important as part of my self-care routine. Spending time hiking by myself, reading, praying or anything I do intentionally alone and pouring into my cup. Mom life can be consuming, and it’s so easy to lose ourselves. This is why it’s so important to pour into ourselves.

As a fellow adventurer + dreamer of big dreams, how do you stay fully present and make the most of your life right now, while simultaneously having visions for your future and making progress toward those?

The simple answer is reminding myself to be present, setting goals for the present and the future simultaneously and going with the flow. Gratitude is key and every time I am grateful it reminds me of what I have now and how I prayed for this. It helps me stay grounded in the present while still being hopeful for the future.

Where are you off to next and what are you most looking forward to about it??

We just came back from a hiking trip and for now we are not going anywhere until April, where we will be heading to the Drakensberg mountains to explore as a family.