Learning to live a more intentional life
It’s so hard sometimes.
You think that you are making progress, seeing growth and cultivating change,
and then –
then it all just seems to stop.
Where you saw progress, you wonder about purpose.
Where you saw growth, you question the speed.
Where you saw change, you second-guess your resolve.
We’ve lived in the same home for many years. Our neighbourhood is a relatively quiet one and very conducive to evening walks. Although we don’t walk as often as we should, we have always enjoyed our evening strolls – some for exercise, some for leisure – all peaceful and invigorating. When you live in one place long enough, you get to know the people in the area- even if just by face- and you can easily spot new home improvements or renovations in the houses on the street.
Everything is familiar.
Imagine our surprise, then, when we found out that just up the main road – not far from our house – there is a quiet little park with a few benches lining the water’s edge.
Continue reading “Step off the Asphalt”
A few weeks ago, I had to take a “sick day”. Having a “sick day” felt strange to me, because the reality is that I just don’t have the luxury of an entire day dedicated to rest and recovery. Not in the middle of the week. Certainly not in the midst of online school.
But I could feel that something wasn’t right in my body. I called the doctor’s office and was grateful to secure an afternoon appointment. But what would I do about the pain and discomfort until then? Well, that’s where the decision that I would take a “sick day” came in. There was no one to report to – I simply made a mental note to myself that I would listen to my body and rest until I was able to see the doctor.
Here comes the lesson: rest is relative.
Continue reading “The Sick Day”
It’s so loud –
all the noise –
and it comes from every direction.
Louder and louder
it comes
rousing me from even the slightest inclination to rest.
“There’s no time.”
“That’s not enough.”
“There’s more to be done.”
Despite increased restrictions and stringent lockdown measures, the cases in our little country continued to rise and a state of emergency was declared a few months ago.
In order to limit our trips outside, I had started meal planning as best as I could and compiled a grocery list accordingly so that I didn’t have cause to run to the grocery as often as before. In this vein, I’d started to make a list of grocery items that I would need to buy at my next trip, even if it was still a few weeks away. I hadn’t yet run out of any of these items, but I knew that they would likely need to be replaced by the time my next visit to the grocery came around. This ‘pre-emptive’ list served two purposes: first, it ensured that I didn’t forget any of the essentials while compiling a list right before my grocery trip and, secondly, it gave me the assurance that I had made provision for our needs to be met even before they arose.
Continue reading “Planning Ahead”
“Eenie eenie niney mo…”
I stifled my laugh as I listened to my littlest love finish her recitation of unintelligible and mostly made-up words.
I had asked her to choose which type of pasta she wanted me to make with dinner. As I held the two different types of pasta in front of her, she summoned her trusty pointer finger and began to alternate between touching each pack while singing her literal song of choice.
Continue reading “My Song of Choice”
I’m not
experienced enough
smart enough
pretty enough
organised enough
rich enough
productive enough
knowledgeable enough
I woke up early this morning and couldn’t go back to sleep so I decided to get out of bed.
As I sat in the living room and slowly sipped my morning coffee, I looked out the window and marveled at the stillness of nature in the overcast morning light. Everything was so peaceful.
When I finished the contents of my cup I continued to just sit there and look outside. It was still early. I had time.
Or did I?
Continue reading “Making Time”
I’m not a dog person.
I’ve maintained this position for as long as I can remember. I would never dream of being cruel to an animal, but it would never cross my mind to play with one, let alone own one. I don’t mind visiting a house that has pets, but my interaction with those pets has always been limited to slipping quickly past them so they don’t lick my toes.
Continue reading “Paws and Reflect”
“April has been a long year.”
I’ve said these words more times than I care to admit over the last few weeks. A barrage of bad news and compounding challenges brought a feeling of overwhelm unlike any I have ever experienced before.
On one of those dark days, I tried to describe to a loved one how I was feeling. I felt as though I was standing on a platform with a small cup of water in my hand while watching a train that was completely engulfed in flames speed down the tracks.
Continue reading “Brilliance in the Trench”