I love California and today and tonight did not disappoint.
Life is good.
Things Aren’t Always the Way They Seem
Be careful how much you read into other people’s photos or stories or headlines. Things aren’t always the way they seem and I think we need to remember this as we journey together through social media and the news.
I am a true idealist. I have big dreams, always. I create playlists in my head about how I think things should be.
Today I took the kids to Raging Waters because this was the wish of the little one. He wanted his siblings to spend the day with him and play and this was his dream, since he had a season pass. We made it happen and here is proof:
As I was taking this picture after we ate lunch, I was thinking of the morning and how the big ones protested. They didn’t want to go to a water park today. I know, crazy thought, but true. Who has to beg to bring kids to a water park to hang out and enjoy outdoor adventures together? This is ridiculous, I know. But this was my truth and you’d never know from this picture of my happily ever after moment. We are perfectly imperfect, remember?
I think this picture symbolizes probably a lot of other moments we see on our screens. Everything looks happy yet there were arguments and frustrations before the snapshot. LB and I used to call these our Norman Rockwell moments where we had to take 50 shots to capture the one moment where we all looked happy at the same time so that we could remember what we envisioned in our heads. This makes me laugh and I hope you can share this connection and say, “Yeah!! That’s so true and real and funny!”
We actually were enjoying THIS moment. It was just the journey getting here that was frustrating, but of course that wouldn’t make for a happy story.
I did actually learn some things today about raising teenagers. I learned I need to make quicker decisions. I learned that even when they aren’t interested, they sometimes are. And I learned to practice patience. They all came around and we had a great day together, living in the sunshine.
Life is good.
Stories Connect Us
Juliana asked me why I choose to write every day and share something about my life.
We all have a story to share and I like discovering connections between mine and yours. Our stories are always changing which makes us all so very interesting.
Writing my story helps me to show up every day and to be thankful for what is. It’s like yoga for the mind – being present on the page.
And when you, my BeLoveRs, write back by whatever means (email, text, Facebook, comments, etc) and connect and relate your story with mine, we share a moment of our spirits being connected and this is ReaLLy cool to me.
Writing also captures the highlights of the history I am creating daily. It’s my digital scrapbook that just happens to be public and I treasure this as I don’t take the time to scrapbook otherwise and I have a bad memory.
Listen the next time you’re at the table and see how the conversation goes. Listen for the connections and the history and for the stories of our lives that make us who we are and bind us together.
Our stories connect us.
To be continued…
The Comfort of Cats
We are loving our new fur babies. They bring our family a lot of joy and entertainment.
When I woke up this morning, I was the first one up and the kittens woke up to greet me.
They were purring and walking all over me and my laptop.
They love attention and I surprisingly loved giving it to them.
When the kids woke up, they went to find them too. I love the simple joy the kittens bring. Everyone loves cuddling with them and I think they calm us down.
Sometimes we feel like we are playing hide and seek because we can’t find them and we all go looking for them. Today one of them was found on a top shelf in Christian’s closet. She must have climbed up his dresser drawers and then she stayed up there perched up high all afternoon.
I love seeing Jeff wad up paper balls and tossing them in the air and watching Zuma pounce on them. We all laugh at them together.
Our cats bring a lot of comfort and joy and laughter and I am glad that we finally decided to bring pets into our family.
Life is good.
Getting Out of My Comfort Zone
It’s been a week of discomfort.
We’ve had high temperatures and no air conditioning and this made me highly hot and uncomfortable.
My kids grew up, literally, and are off making their own plans, driving with friends and doing their own thing. It’s all good and wonderful, it just made me miss them and I was uncomfortable and okay letting go.
My identity was compromised and this made me very uncomfortable and curious. I wonder what motivates people to act inappropriately. Be sure to change your passwords and if something sounds too good to be true, it’s probably not. Trust your gut and follow your instinct.
I was offered a job 5 years too early and it made me curious and excited and is moving me out of my comfort zone.
Finally, on a more fun note, I went for a 15 mile bike ride today with Charlie and my friends. I loved that J was the leader and showed me the way. I was a little bit scared as I didn’t know the way, don’t know how to change a flat tire and didn’t know if I could make it that far. My seat was definitely uncomfortable and yet I rode anyway and loved it.
It’s okay to be uncomfortable because it helps us to change and grow and make things better. As for the identity challenge, I’m not sure if there is anything positive to come from that experience except maybe as a public service announcement to change your passwords regularly with meaningful characters.
What is making you uncomfortable? Hoping things make sense for you soon and that you become comfortable again.
nAMaste
Live in the Sunshine
“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
This is my favorite quote these last couple of weeks, thanks to Michele! I keep thinking of living in the sunshine, soaking it all up and loving the light and looking for it wherever I go.
Summer night
Adapting
How quick are you to adapt?
Life is constantly changing and we really have no control over our circumstances, even though we pretend we do. We so want control over our lives and plan every minute, but really we are at the mercy of the universe.
We only get to control how we adapt to what is delivered to us.
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” – Charles Darwin
We are always in a state of change, from aging to health to jobs and friends and living and dying and everything else in between.
How quickly are we even able to realize that life is changing and how quickly do we develop new routines based on our new and ever changing circumstances?
Do we drag our feet? Jump right in? Create new routines? Complain? Embrace the change? Or what?
We all have a free will and we can choose to adapt quickly or drag our feet. We can resist change or we can embrace the change and enjoy the new level of life and accept what is. This can be really, really hard! But we must adapt, and the quicker the better so that we can continue living happily ever after on a new plane of what is.
Meet yourself where you’re at. See the change and figure out where you’re going next to become the new, best version of yourself and to enjoy what is, what you have, and who you’re with.
I’m in the process of adapting to having independent teenagers. This is a new summer experience for me and I am adapting to being a chauffeur and chef and not being in charge of creating our shared experiences and accepting that sometimes I am not included in the experiences at all. It’s not comfortable for me and yet I am adapting, slowly and am ready to speed up the process of acceptance, like today. I’m there.
What about you? What change are you experiencing? Are you adapting quickly, or dragging your feet? Are you aware that there is even a change occurring? The quicker we can adapt, the quicker we can find peace and continue creating our new happily ever after.
Don’t you love this constantly changing life?
Thanks Trish, for the topic idea for today!! Sometimes it’s challenging to think about what to write every day and I like how you made me think. Thank you, Love.
Goodnight, BeLoveRs. This world needs our love. Prayers for Maddy’s family in Santa Cruz and may you somehow find peace with the injustice that has come your way.
nAMaste
Be the Change
Be the change you want to feel. Create it. You have the power.
Be the change you want to see. Choose to change your mind to focus on what’s good, and what you’re thankful for instead of all that is wrong with your given moment. This is hard to do, yet it is critical to our happiness, and is totally doable if we give ourselves permission.
Last night I wanted to change my attitude, so I chose to go for a walk. I was in a pissy mood, and needed to move and stretch and be alone to process my thoughts and to get over my negative feelings. I don’t write about these things because I want to focus on what’s good versus what’s unpleasant. My life is perfectly imperfect and we’re constantly learning and practicing and hopefully getting better all the time.
Life IS unpleasant many times as we pursue happiness, and we all have our unpleasantries, which is why I choose to not write about my own. I don’t need to share these details because I think we should focus on what we wish to create, which for me is joy and peace and love. I choose to share my daily reflections and solutions to dealing with what is and seeing the good even when things are frustrating to me. This helps me to overcome the negative feelings too and to continue down my path of happily ever after.
We all get to choose how we react to what is, and Here I Am is about being present and seeking the good in the middle of the busyness and chaos and pissiness. I know, that’s probably not a word, but doesn’t it sound good?
By going for a walk, I cleared my head and got exercise and released some really good endorphins. I highly recommend going for a long walk when you’re less than happy. It’s so rewarding in so many ways and I came home feeling more peaceful and open minded.
So the next time you’re feeling pissy or down or any other negative feeling, think about what you can do to get through the feeling until it passes and be the change you wish to feel. Don’t wait for someone else. You have the power. Am I right?
nAMaste
The Night Walk
Tonight I escaped the dinner dishes and went for a night walk all by myself. It’s good to have time alone and I sure enjoyed the warm evening.
I also loved seeing the sky colors change as the sun set.
I don’t do this very often but I think I should begin this nightly routine. It’s a good way to end the day. I also liked watching my fit bit tally up the steps from block to block. And the best part was that when I came home, the kitchen was clean!! Oh I love my family. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Night light.
Good night. Sleep well. Rest.
Happy Together
My teenagers came home tonight from their service trip, after being gone for a week, and I could not be happier.
I cried when I saw their faces again and I know it’s only been a week, but it’s symbolic of what’s to come in the next couple of years, I know.
They are growing up and are independent, needing me in different ways. I love these compassionate and thoughtful humans and am so happy to have them back with us again. I loved coming home together, sitting around the table, eating ice cream and hearing their stories about their journey and experiences.
I am thankful they had such a great time and are safely home again.
nAMaste
here i am 