in between

Sometimes with the kids, I feel like life speeds by so fast I get winded and don't take the time to slow down and look up. There's always something going on or somewhere to be. I'm always looking ahead to those bigger moments and lose sight of the journey in between.

The every day, simple, at first glance boring things can also be the extraordinary. Sometimes I'm afraid that it's all passing us too quick. The days are all a blur.

I don't want a blurred life. I want the "pause-and-reflect", "soak-and-absorb" life. Not the pace of events and busyness and full schedules, but the in between. The don't blink because this may seem so simple, so seemingly insignificant, but it's not. It's incredible, special and full of possibility. The possibility of greatness.

And in that moment, that greatness, there's a sense of calm and well-being. Because you noticed. You grasped. And you held on tighter than ever before.

resilience in my back pocket

For any of those out there in the know, or out of the know, I had a rough day a few weeks back.

My wallet was stolen, and then cards within were used to make many purchases at a nearby mall. 

Humble experience, let me tell you. 

All of this, of course, had to happen on my busiest of weeks under the pressure of learning and adding a new job. 

But really, is there ever a good time to have your wallet stollen? Maybe when it's old, empty and two steps away from the trash can.....

A few days after all this chaos I was in a computer lab, training with some fellow new employees. After I shared my stolen wallet incident, one of the ladies I was sitting next to stared at me.

"What?" I asked.

"I can't believe this. You are working 60 hours a week, your husband is in school full time, you have two kids, and your wallet was stolen. And here you are helping me point and click on this new computer program. If I were you I would be a puddle on the floor."

I quickly laughed off the remark.

"And now you're laughing," she added.

I'll admit, I don't take this sort of observation lightly. And by no means am I trying to be proud or boastful or a complete full-of-myself or pity me-version of Aimee. I'm also not trying to ask the universe for more challenges or obstacles to prove what I'm made of.

I'd like to consider this a learning opportunity about our ability to have a buoyant resilience. Something that is as much a part of us as our ideals and values. It is our ability to take what we can out of a situation and recover from it. Or learn from it. Or grow from it. Or chalk it up to improving our karma.

There are situations in real life that do suck. And I don't want to compare stories, or pull out the measuring stick to put one hardship over another. I really do believe it is all in the eye of the beholder.

Perspective. Humor. Gratitude. These are all handy tools I pull out when life comes in full force and puts on a show of the unexpected. I know that I've become the reactor that I am because of the background that I have. That's the beauty in all this. We all have different starting and finishing lines, and somewhere in the middle, within that race to where we're going...we find it. What makes us bounce back, tie our laces tighter, and throw dirt on the wounds we have so we can forge on. The great thing about that grit, the sweat and tears...our persevering resilience finds its steady beat. And from that point on, we'll never be without it. 

dear uncomfortable struggle,

"There's a common misunderstanding among all the human beings who have ever been born on the earth that the best way to live is to try to avoid pain and just try to get comfortable. You can see this even in insects and animals and birds. All of us are the same.
A much more interesting, kind, adventurous, and joyful approach to life is to begin to develop our curiosity, not caring whether the object of our inquisitiveness is bitter or sweet. To lead a life that goes beyond pettiness and prejudice and always wanting to make sure that everything turns out on our own terms, to lead a more passionate, full, and delightful life than that, we must realize that we can endure a lot of pain and pleasure for the sake of finding out who we are and what this world is, how we tick and how our world ticks, how the whole thing just is." -Pema Chodron

Lately I've been looking at how we struggle. I know we all have it in some form or another. Within ourselves... at home... at work... at times that we don't want to admit. When we feel that struggle we get uncomfortable. We wiggle, squirm, read books, Google, ask friends, seek some sort of treatment or remedy to get back to where we feel we need to be.

But what if we need struggle? What if it is essential to our experience here in life?

If anything this struggle- or stress, or feeling of hopelessness- can teach us something. Through the years when I struggle, I have found that it has taught me that I have a level of perseverance that I didn't even realize I had. A level of commitment-not just to family, friends-but to myself.

In a way, I'm glad to have opportunities of struggle to feel out these corners of myself. To find out how I fight for me. How I fail at it many, many times but still get back up-wipe the dirt off my face and stand tall trying again.

We always put on big overcoats with pockets full of fears, let downs, negativity and regret. No matter the season, the weather in our life-things can be warm and sunny but we think we still need to wear these coats-heavy and limiting to our ability to be free and enjoy. It is not until we are made aware of our layers that we clothe ourselves in-shutting out what life has to offer-when we can acknowledge we are unnecessarily cloaked, and can finally be able to enjoy a fresh, warm breeze.

Next time you may feel uncomfortable and unsettled about the way life is going, slow down and allow yourself to dig deep. Pull yourself into that vulnerability and be okay with the in between. Before a problem can be solved, it should be examined and explored. Otherwise, we will come to the same misinterpreted conclusions...

pardon the interruption...

This week I'm trying to make strides to eating healthier. Part of that piece of the puzzle comes in planning. Check out this Easy Greek Salad in a jar on the "healthy things" tab...

Enjoy!

the road we're on

All is business as usual at our house lately. New year making room for new schedules and new things to do, places to go and people to see. We're excited for what will be coming our way in the months to follow. But we're also overwhelmed with all the things we have yet to accomplish.

Picking up the pace means losing the freedom of sleeping in, taking it easy, and cruising in the right lane. Funny thing is, as fast as life goes sometimes, we don't realize or take advantage of the many scenic routes or overlooks along the way. Days like today, when we're getting glimpses of spring weather, we made sure to pull over and make time for some sight-seeing. 

Running around in the fresh air always makes for bright smiles...

And daddy makes the best jungle jim...




Whatever road you're on, whatever speed you're going...make time for pulling off every now and then. Or at least rolling down your windows to take in the sweet air.

We wanted to give a big thank you for all of the wonderful birthday well-wishes for this boy of ours. He had a great birthday...thank you everyone for making it so special.