Today was another day filled with work. Work-work, school-work and personal-work. Not much fun! But there was a light at the end of the tunnel….my baseball banquet.
I almost didn't join my summer baseball team, after all, I hadn't played in nearly 20 years. But I wanted to, perhaps I even needed to, be outside and busy this past summer, so I joined.
I can’t tell you how happy I am that I joined this league. Not only were my team mates amazing, but I also met some fun umpires and people from the competition that I can now call friends. All amazing people. So many laughs and smiles over the summer with this crew. I feel that my life is more having had this experience. But I digress…..
Tonight was the banquet. We had a choice of roast beef or chicken for dinner. Sadly, neither dish was very good. Both options were overcooked. I would have been happier with a plate filled with the side salad and called it a night!
But instead of really noticing the food, I noticed the company. The people around me. I wasn’t upset at the terrible food, I was elated by the energy of the good people around me. The stories, the outright giggles and guffaws. It is moments like these that I believe fills our souls. Happy, silly moments when you don’t care if your food sucks, you are just so darned happy to be there.
Moments with new friends.
Moments of laughter and giggles.
#moments #friends #baseball #laughter #food
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Moments D157: Music
Today I spent the majority of my day working. Yes. A Saturday. I went into the office to try to plow through the excess. SUCCESS!
While I was working through the piles of necessary data crunching, I was enjoying my tunes. Loud. After all the office was empty! I happily enjoyed singing at the top of my lungs and while managing to get my work done.
This seemed to be the theme of the day. Later, a lazy late afternoon into the evening laying on the couch brought more songs and music videos. The first played for me was my new favourite song. “Just Give Me a Reason” is one of P!nk’s new songs that I’ve fallen in love with and it couldn’t have been a more perfect song to start ME time with. (After all I had listened to it in the car, over and over again…I think I’d like to learn how to play this one on the piano….) I love the piano. I love the sentiment of not being broken but bent and fixable. We are all bent in one way or another, but never, ever broken.
Later as I was getting ready for dinner another song came to my ears and it was this moment that I smiled and clocked. Even though my day was filled with music, songs, lyrics and moments, it was this particular song that made me smile. It brought me back in time, to a place where I was at a crossroads. That moment, from months ago was confusing but filled with hope. It reminded me to stay in the moment. To not get ahead of myself, but to be here, in the now.
It reminded me how much I love music and singing.
It reminded me how much I’ve I miss playing piano and singing along. I think P!nk’s latest song will be the inspiration I need to pull out my keyboard and learn a new song to play and sing along to. That’s kind of a cool moment!
Moments of new music.
Moments of old music.
While I was working through the piles of necessary data crunching, I was enjoying my tunes. Loud. After all the office was empty! I happily enjoyed singing at the top of my lungs and while managing to get my work done.
This seemed to be the theme of the day. Later, a lazy late afternoon into the evening laying on the couch brought more songs and music videos. The first played for me was my new favourite song. “Just Give Me a Reason” is one of P!nk’s new songs that I’ve fallen in love with and it couldn’t have been a more perfect song to start ME time with. (After all I had listened to it in the car, over and over again…I think I’d like to learn how to play this one on the piano….) I love the piano. I love the sentiment of not being broken but bent and fixable. We are all bent in one way or another, but never, ever broken.
Later as I was getting ready for dinner another song came to my ears and it was this moment that I smiled and clocked. Even though my day was filled with music, songs, lyrics and moments, it was this particular song that made me smile. It brought me back in time, to a place where I was at a crossroads. That moment, from months ago was confusing but filled with hope. It reminded me to stay in the moment. To not get ahead of myself, but to be here, in the now.
It reminded me how much I love music and singing.
It reminded me how much I’ve I miss playing piano and singing along. I think P!nk’s latest song will be the inspiration I need to pull out my keyboard and learn a new song to play and sing along to. That’s kind of a cool moment!
Moments of new music.
Moments of old music.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Moments D156: Forgetting Time
Tonight I caught up with friends of mine. Friends I haven’t seen in five months even though I love this couple dearly. Friends that I adore and enjoy swapping stories about love and the challenges of life. Friends that I wish I could see more often, for their energy connects deep and they are a wonderful, beautiful couple. I am thankful for having them in my life.
The intellectually stimulating, gracious and big hearted gentleman I’ve know for nearly two decades now. (Wow. Shit. Really? Gosh I’m getting old! Gulp. Yes. 17 years is closer to 2 decades than one. Yikes. Yes, I’m sitting here in a bit of shock….) He is an amazing old soul with a unique perspective on life. He manages to always find a perspective that others likely miss. I love sharing stories with him. I love to hear his perspectives. He is one who always helps me dig deeper.
His gorgeous, loving, amazing (and perfect) wife I’ve known for about 7-8 years now. She really is perfect for my old friend. They are the cutest couple I know. Supportive and loving even in stressful moments. Affectionate and kind with their actions and their words. She completes him and he completes her.
And now, they are pregnant. I couldn’t be happier for them. What an amazing new adventure they will have together. I can’t wait to be a part of it!
I share these details because I love these two people and when I spend time with them, everything else falls away. It’s necessary to understand how big this couple is in my life, even though we don’t spend a lot of time together. It’s necessary to understand how they affect me and my moments with them.
Quite simply: We dig deeper together. Politics, life, love, sex, family, taxes, death…you name it we will talk about it. Emotions flow. White light surrounds us and we are in our little bubble. We enjoy some food and a little drink and then dive ever deeper. We pause and dig into dessert and tea, even if it’s 12:30am….because that’s just what we do. We get lost in the words, in the company. We forget about time and before we know it, four hours have passed…..then another 2 and it all felt like a blink of an eye.
Moments with your oldest, bestest friends.
Moments where time loses its meaning.
The intellectually stimulating, gracious and big hearted gentleman I’ve know for nearly two decades now. (Wow. Shit. Really? Gosh I’m getting old! Gulp. Yes. 17 years is closer to 2 decades than one. Yikes. Yes, I’m sitting here in a bit of shock….) He is an amazing old soul with a unique perspective on life. He manages to always find a perspective that others likely miss. I love sharing stories with him. I love to hear his perspectives. He is one who always helps me dig deeper.
His gorgeous, loving, amazing (and perfect) wife I’ve known for about 7-8 years now. She really is perfect for my old friend. They are the cutest couple I know. Supportive and loving even in stressful moments. Affectionate and kind with their actions and their words. She completes him and he completes her.
And now, they are pregnant. I couldn’t be happier for them. What an amazing new adventure they will have together. I can’t wait to be a part of it!
I share these details because I love these two people and when I spend time with them, everything else falls away. It’s necessary to understand how big this couple is in my life, even though we don’t spend a lot of time together. It’s necessary to understand how they affect me and my moments with them.
Quite simply: We dig deeper together. Politics, life, love, sex, family, taxes, death…you name it we will talk about it. Emotions flow. White light surrounds us and we are in our little bubble. We enjoy some food and a little drink and then dive ever deeper. We pause and dig into dessert and tea, even if it’s 12:30am….because that’s just what we do. We get lost in the words, in the company. We forget about time and before we know it, four hours have passed…..then another 2 and it all felt like a blink of an eye.
Moments with your oldest, bestest friends.
Moments where time loses its meaning.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Moments D156: Shared Words
Today was another challenging day. But it started off with a few moments that stopped to make me smile. Today was one of those days I wish I could have skipped over. Even so, it was a day of multiple moments! I find it humourous how how the energies around me work sometimes. The darkness tries to creep in and I feel the energies I’ve shared out being reflected back. I am thankful for this.
My first moment today was as I was driving into work. The songs that came over the airwaves surrounded me with words of encouragement and impudence. While filling with these words and energy I watched the streetlights as drove I passed them.
This is something I’ve done for as long as I can remember. Every once in awhile, a streetlight turns on (or off) as I pass it. It’s a silly game I play with myself, but it always makes me feel a little special that when I pass a streetlight it turns on.
This happened to me today on my drive into work. It automatically brought a smile to my face.
The second moment today was when I was asked about why people read my blog. Hell, I don’t know. I ramble. I haven’t much to say other than silly moments to share. I had to think about it. My answer was simple: People find it inspiring. Maybe not all of my words, hell, maybe not even a lot of my words. But every once in awhile I connect. And for me, and for those reading, that’s what it’s all about - isn’t it?
And, as if to prove my point, today I received a text from a baseball teammate letting me into his world for a brief moment. I had inspired him to stop and look at the sky. To stop and enjoy the early morning sky. He put all the other “STUFF” aside so he could be one with the sky.
Finally on my way hour drive to my new volleyball league I was surprised by not one, but two phones call encouraging me to be the best I can be tonight. I am thankful for the people in my life.
I love when the pieces fall together. A challenging day, but I am surrounded with smiles and moments. A challenging day and yet what I’ve reflected out has come back to me.
And so, as my colleague struggles with the pains of life and death, I shared my love and energy with him. In my world, this is what it is all about. People. Sharing energy, light and love.
Moments for words.
Moments for thoughts.
Moments to share.
My first moment today was as I was driving into work. The songs that came over the airwaves surrounded me with words of encouragement and impudence. While filling with these words and energy I watched the streetlights as drove I passed them.
This is something I’ve done for as long as I can remember. Every once in awhile, a streetlight turns on (or off) as I pass it. It’s a silly game I play with myself, but it always makes me feel a little special that when I pass a streetlight it turns on.
This happened to me today on my drive into work. It automatically brought a smile to my face.
The second moment today was when I was asked about why people read my blog. Hell, I don’t know. I ramble. I haven’t much to say other than silly moments to share. I had to think about it. My answer was simple: People find it inspiring. Maybe not all of my words, hell, maybe not even a lot of my words. But every once in awhile I connect. And for me, and for those reading, that’s what it’s all about - isn’t it?
And, as if to prove my point, today I received a text from a baseball teammate letting me into his world for a brief moment. I had inspired him to stop and look at the sky. To stop and enjoy the early morning sky. He put all the other “STUFF” aside so he could be one with the sky.
Finally on my way hour drive to my new volleyball league I was surprised by not one, but two phones call encouraging me to be the best I can be tonight. I am thankful for the people in my life.
I love when the pieces fall together. A challenging day, but I am surrounded with smiles and moments. A challenging day and yet what I’ve reflected out has come back to me.
And so, as my colleague struggles with the pains of life and death, I shared my love and energy with him. In my world, this is what it is all about. People. Sharing energy, light and love.
Moments for words.
Moments for thoughts.
Moments to share.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Moments D155: Spidergirl
Today’s moment was a silly one and it occurred early in the day. (Honestly, I’m thankful that it did because the end of my day turned out to be a disaster and I was in no place to honestly see any smiles around me.)
Looking back, I think I really needed a silly moment today. I needed something that stopped to make me smile without thinking about it. I appreciate the universe working with me on this! The energies around me the past couple of days have been confusing, exhilarating and soul growing. From a colleague’s mother’s passing, to my BFF dealing with her childhood cat’s last days to dealing with my own personal direction in life.
Sometimes we need a silly moment to break through.
This morning, I stopped at Starbucks for an Americano. As I was leaving there was a little girl, about 5, sitting alone at the table nearest to the door. She was tapping her leg against the chair and the sound caught my attention to pause and look at her. As soon as my eyes connected with her I felt the smile spread upon my face. She was dressed in a spidergirl dress. It was so sparkly and fun and silly and plain all at the same time.
Looking back, I think I really needed a silly moment today. I needed something that stopped to make me smile without thinking about it. I appreciate the universe working with me on this! The energies around me the past couple of days have been confusing, exhilarating and soul growing. From a colleague’s mother’s passing, to my BFF dealing with her childhood cat’s last days to dealing with my own personal direction in life.
Sometimes we need a silly moment to break through.
This morning, I stopped at Starbucks for an Americano. As I was leaving there was a little girl, about 5, sitting alone at the table nearest to the door. She was tapping her leg against the chair and the sound caught my attention to pause and look at her. As soon as my eyes connected with her I felt the smile spread upon my face. She was dressed in a spidergirl dress. It was so sparkly and fun and silly and plain all at the same time.
There were no masks, no makeup. Just a cute little girl in her spidergirl dress. It was a moment that reminded me of my favourite holiday and how much I once loved it.
I’m not sure how easy this year’s Halloween will be for me. It was the beginning of the end of an 11 year relationship for me a year ago. It wasn’t pretty. And as the date draws closer I have mixed feelings about it.
But, for one brief moment today. I relived my love of the holiday. I send thanks to the universe for sending me that moment.
Moments of unexpected smiles.
I’m not sure how easy this year’s Halloween will be for me. It was the beginning of the end of an 11 year relationship for me a year ago. It wasn’t pretty. And as the date draws closer I have mixed feelings about it.
But, for one brief moment today. I relived my love of the holiday. I send thanks to the universe for sending me that moment.
Moments of unexpected smiles.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Moments D154: Sharing Love & Light
Today was a roller coaster emotionally for me. I spent two hours of my day waiting for my Doctor who was running late. Once I finally met with her, I find out that my appointment was (for all intents and purposes) a waste of time. No need for blood work, no need to worry. We’ll do all that at my physical in the new year.
This lost time did not make things easy for me at work. I am behind (again) on planning. I hate being behind. I am proactive person. I like to plan and I like to be ahead of the game. There is simply too much on my plate here and I am always running behind. I’m tired of this feeling and frustrated. I try to pull positive energy from where I can to combat this.
Later in the day, the news was on the other end of the scale. I made the competitive women’s league. I was ECSTATIC and shared the news with all who cared. The love and support that came back billowed my spirits. My people. I LOVE my people. Good caring souls. I am a fortunate person to have so many in my life.
But this wasn’t this moment that made my soul smile (as good as it was). It was the moment where I reached out to a friend in need. You see, his father isn’t well and he is many miles away. My friend’s heart and soul is aching from the situation. I sent him a simple text message. His reply made me smile and I knew that for one very brief moment he felt a little better.
Later in the day, a co-worker had to leave work because his ailing mother had been admitted to the hospital with organ failure. He had emailed me to let me know so I could inform the others. I immediately got up from my desk and went into his office and put my arms out for a hug. He was resistant, he said he hadn’t been feeling well and didn’t want to spread the cold. I rebuffed him. No way. I am giving you a hug man. Cold be damned.
I could feel him absorb that moment. And for me, THIS is what life is about. All those little things that we worry about, all the big things that stress us out; bottom line it’s about people and taking care of each other.
Later yet in my evening, I had another friend reach out for my energy. At this point, I was exhausted from my day, but I dug deep and found reserves for him. Because people matter. Having the people in your life know how much they are loved matters.
Moments of sharing your love and light.
Moments with people.
This lost time did not make things easy for me at work. I am behind (again) on planning. I hate being behind. I am proactive person. I like to plan and I like to be ahead of the game. There is simply too much on my plate here and I am always running behind. I’m tired of this feeling and frustrated. I try to pull positive energy from where I can to combat this.
Later in the day, the news was on the other end of the scale. I made the competitive women’s league. I was ECSTATIC and shared the news with all who cared. The love and support that came back billowed my spirits. My people. I LOVE my people. Good caring souls. I am a fortunate person to have so many in my life.
But this wasn’t this moment that made my soul smile (as good as it was). It was the moment where I reached out to a friend in need. You see, his father isn’t well and he is many miles away. My friend’s heart and soul is aching from the situation. I sent him a simple text message. His reply made me smile and I knew that for one very brief moment he felt a little better.
Later in the day, a co-worker had to leave work because his ailing mother had been admitted to the hospital with organ failure. He had emailed me to let me know so I could inform the others. I immediately got up from my desk and went into his office and put my arms out for a hug. He was resistant, he said he hadn’t been feeling well and didn’t want to spread the cold. I rebuffed him. No way. I am giving you a hug man. Cold be damned.
I could feel him absorb that moment. And for me, THIS is what life is about. All those little things that we worry about, all the big things that stress us out; bottom line it’s about people and taking care of each other.
Later yet in my evening, I had another friend reach out for my energy. At this point, I was exhausted from my day, but I dug deep and found reserves for him. Because people matter. Having the people in your life know how much they are loved matters.
Moments of sharing your love and light.
Moments with people.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Moments D153: Enjoying the silence
Today was a most uneventful day. This morning a short workout. Today a day filled with productivity at work. This evening, filled with productivity with my homework. But today’s moment isn’t about productivity and feeling good about plowing through so much “stuff” Today’s moment is about enjoying a moment of quiet at home.
This past summer has been a busy one. Between baseball and volleyball and friends I haven’t really been home a whole lot. Tonight I was home. Tonight I was really home. I enjoyed left overs, so there wasn’t much work to be done once I was home from work. There was no frantic pace.
There was a moment this evening where I looked up from reading my textbook and just absorbed the silence. I didn’t have any music playing, nor the TV on. The only sounds I could hear were muffled from outside. (After all it’s chilly out and the windows are now closed.) What a treat. Silence. Quiet. It was brilliant and I enjoyed that moment for a good long time. Yes. I think I am happy in my new space. It’s not perfect, but it’s comfortable and honestly, I’m very happy with comfortable for now.
Moments of quiet.
Moments to pause and absorb the silence.
This past summer has been a busy one. Between baseball and volleyball and friends I haven’t really been home a whole lot. Tonight I was home. Tonight I was really home. I enjoyed left overs, so there wasn’t much work to be done once I was home from work. There was no frantic pace.
There was a moment this evening where I looked up from reading my textbook and just absorbed the silence. I didn’t have any music playing, nor the TV on. The only sounds I could hear were muffled from outside. (After all it’s chilly out and the windows are now closed.) What a treat. Silence. Quiet. It was brilliant and I enjoyed that moment for a good long time. Yes. I think I am happy in my new space. It’s not perfect, but it’s comfortable and honestly, I’m very happy with comfortable for now.
Moments of quiet.
Moments to pause and absorb the silence.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Moments D152: Dinner Invitations
Today was a day filled with homework and general puttering around the house. (You know, those receipts that need to be filed and those emails that you were waiting to read?) It was a good productive day and just as I was about to start thinking about what I should make myself for dinner, my best-boys texted me to invite me over for dinner.
Totally out-of-the-blue. Unexpected.
I was worried I might not get all of my homework done (or at least not enough of it done for me to be comfortable to go out)…so I asked for a 1 hour window before replying.
I worked my butt off in that hour. How much can a gal get done in an hour with the right reward to follow? Believe me when I say, a whole lot. I even managed to squeeze in a workout that I wanted to get in!
And so, I accepted the last minute dinner invitation. My evening was much more than I thought it would be because of this. Tears, laughter and many hugs.
Gosh it was good to see two of my best friends. I haven’t seen them in a long time. Too long really. We vowed to do this again. Soon.
Here’s hoping we have more spontaneous dinner invitations around the corner.
Moments of spontaneity.
Moments with friends & food.
Totally out-of-the-blue. Unexpected.
I was worried I might not get all of my homework done (or at least not enough of it done for me to be comfortable to go out)…so I asked for a 1 hour window before replying.
I worked my butt off in that hour. How much can a gal get done in an hour with the right reward to follow? Believe me when I say, a whole lot. I even managed to squeeze in a workout that I wanted to get in!
And so, I accepted the last minute dinner invitation. My evening was much more than I thought it would be because of this. Tears, laughter and many hugs.
Gosh it was good to see two of my best friends. I haven’t seen them in a long time. Too long really. We vowed to do this again. Soon.
Here’s hoping we have more spontaneous dinner invitations around the corner.
Moments of spontaneity.
Moments with friends & food.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Moments D151: Unknown
Today was an easy, quiet day. Slow to rise, slow to get out of bed and slow to enjoy the day’s first coffee. Slow to get to homework and slower still to get lunch.
It was a day of unknowns. The original plan was a trip to the zoo, but with the sketchy cool weather, it wasn’t really high on the priority list. Instead a morning of sleeping in and then puttering around was the thing to do.
After a lovely calorie heavy lunch from California Sandwiches, one of my favourite places, it was time for a pedicure. That was the replacement plan to not going to the zoo. Just a pedicure. Then maybe some shopping and a movie. Easy. Simple.
While at the salon, I fell in love with the colour on my toes, so I let the lovely esthetician convince me to get it on my fingers too! I’m in love with “Quarter of a Cent-Cherry”. Here’s what it looks like:
I’m quite happy with it AND I wasn’t expecting it. EVEN better.
Yes, today’s moment is about appreciating the unknown. No plans, no expectations but enjoying the moments as they come and pass through your day.
Moments of going with the flow.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Moments D150: Sunrise
The thing about staying at my BFFs post volleyball, is that she lives a 45-50min drive away from work. That’s WITHOUT any traffic. So the trick was to leave uber early to miss the worst of it.
I was out of bed by 5:45am and on the road with a traveler coffee (thank you BFF for getting up to make me coffee!) shortly after 6:30am . That’s nearly 2 hours earlier than normal for me to jump out of bed. Honestly, I don’t know how the commuter crowd does it. Blarg!
The drive was easy for the first 35min or so and around 7am the traffic began to thicken and slow. The drive alone was a great time to ponder life and to pause and reflect. And then, as if the universe were listening in, as highways merged, the trees parted and I had a moment to fully appreciate the sunrise to my left. It was stunning. And, with traffic dead stopped, I managed to capture a picture.
With the autumn solstice around the corner I thought it was fitting to appreciate the natural beauty around me. The faintest of red on the valley trees. A smattering of yellow here and orange there. The low laying clouds sitting in the valley, waiting for the sun to burn them away. All. So. Beautiful.
A glimpse. A moment. Pause.
What a fabulous way to start my day and better yet, what fabulous way to start my weekend.
Moments alone to reflect.
Moments to appreciate nature.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Moments D149: Beef Stew
Today was the last round of volleyball tryouts for the all women’s competitive league. It’s typically a 40 minute drive from work. Today, it took me 2 hours to get there. I was late. Thirty minutes late. They were already playing. I jumped in. No warm up. Not even touching the ball. I was flustered. I was cold. I didn’t play very well at first.
But after the first (crappy) game, I began to warm. The 2 hours in the car melted away with every touch of the ball. And before I knew it, the tryout was over. I had fun (I always do). I had a couple of great spikes and saves. In the end, I wasn’t completely disappointed with my performance. I won’t know until early next week if I made one of the leagues teams, but I’m certainly hopeful!
And post tryout, I headed to my BFF’s house for the evening for a proper catch up. I wasn’t in the door 5 minutes and I had a glass of red wine. Score one. Best friends know these things. Five minutes later I a bowl of warm beef stew with a side of super sassy hot hot sauce. Oh my. I was in heaven. After all, I hadn’t had dinner yet! Within 10 minutes of being in her house I had wine, tasty stew with sassy hot sauce and a fabulous conversation in the works. Oh yes. That was my best moment of the day. Food and friends. Yup. Honestly, I think that really sums me up sometimes. Food and friends. It’s the best (delicious!) way to leave all the rest of the day behind and to focus on the important things!
Moments for friends.
Moments with food.
But after the first (crappy) game, I began to warm. The 2 hours in the car melted away with every touch of the ball. And before I knew it, the tryout was over. I had fun (I always do). I had a couple of great spikes and saves. In the end, I wasn’t completely disappointed with my performance. I won’t know until early next week if I made one of the leagues teams, but I’m certainly hopeful!
And post tryout, I headed to my BFF’s house for the evening for a proper catch up. I wasn’t in the door 5 minutes and I had a glass of red wine. Score one. Best friends know these things. Five minutes later I a bowl of warm beef stew with a side of super sassy hot hot sauce. Oh my. I was in heaven. After all, I hadn’t had dinner yet! Within 10 minutes of being in her house I had wine, tasty stew with sassy hot sauce and a fabulous conversation in the works. Oh yes. That was my best moment of the day. Food and friends. Yup. Honestly, I think that really sums me up sometimes. Food and friends. It’s the best (delicious!) way to leave all the rest of the day behind and to focus on the important things!
Moments for friends.
Moments with food.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Moments D148: Strangers Hugging
Today’s moment occurred early in my day. I was on my way to work. Running late after a morning of unfortunate events. I was not in the best of moods, knowing the workload that awaited me and the fact that I’d end up working later than I wanted to to make up for the lost time.
As I was stopped at the billionnth (no exaggerations here!) stop light, I watch as the pedestrians crossed the street. There was a motherly looking lady crossing South. She was heavy set, medium in height and black. From the other side, heading North, there was a young, tall, skinny white guy. He wore a hat and had a bit of swagger to his step.
I didn’t see it coming. They paused in the middle of the intersection and embraced. There was an exchange of words during the embrace and as they released one another they both had huge smiles on their faces. And before I knew it they were already on their way, resuming their walk to wherever they were headed.
That moment brought me much joy today. To me they were strangers hugging. Of course, they knew one another, but it was fun to imagine it. Seemingly completely disparate beings meeting randomly in the middle of an intersection to embrace in a hug.
Sometimes I like to imagine a world where we were less caught up in “stuff” and we were more present with people. The world needs more hugs in my opinion and I was tickled by the display today.
So, why not go hug someone today. I’ll bet they could use a hug.
Moments of randomness.
Moments for hugs.
As I was stopped at the billionnth (no exaggerations here!) stop light, I watch as the pedestrians crossed the street. There was a motherly looking lady crossing South. She was heavy set, medium in height and black. From the other side, heading North, there was a young, tall, skinny white guy. He wore a hat and had a bit of swagger to his step.
I didn’t see it coming. They paused in the middle of the intersection and embraced. There was an exchange of words during the embrace and as they released one another they both had huge smiles on their faces. And before I knew it they were already on their way, resuming their walk to wherever they were headed.
That moment brought me much joy today. To me they were strangers hugging. Of course, they knew one another, but it was fun to imagine it. Seemingly completely disparate beings meeting randomly in the middle of an intersection to embrace in a hug.
Sometimes I like to imagine a world where we were less caught up in “stuff” and we were more present with people. The world needs more hugs in my opinion and I was tickled by the display today.
So, why not go hug someone today. I’ll bet they could use a hug.
Moments of randomness.
Moments for hugs.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Moments D147: Self-Reflection - Setting up a Profile
You know, every now and then one needs to stop and take stock of who they are, what they want, and where they are going. Today I had that moment as I was setting up a new profile of me. I’ve had many moments in the past year where I’ve had to stop and think about who I was, but today, today was nitty and gritty. I needed to really find out what was unique and marketable about myself. What makes me stand out from the crowd.
This is not an easy moment. First there is the panic that I’m just like everyone else. There’s nothing special. Nothing worth barking about. Then there is the spark of hope. Maybe a little of this, or a touch of that makes me special. It’s still not gang busters, but it’s better than the darkness of nothingness. And then, the flow of that light spreads. You realize that there are pieces of you that are unique and might be important to someone looking for those attributes.
All of a sudden your profile comes together. The words you found to describe yourself sound (almost) impressive. Is that really you? Is that really your history and perspective on life? Hmmm. I guess it is. Not bad. Not bad at all.
And definitely worth a smile and today’s shared moment with you!
Moments of reflection.
Moments of believing in self.
This is not an easy moment. First there is the panic that I’m just like everyone else. There’s nothing special. Nothing worth barking about. Then there is the spark of hope. Maybe a little of this, or a touch of that makes me special. It’s still not gang busters, but it’s better than the darkness of nothingness. And then, the flow of that light spreads. You realize that there are pieces of you that are unique and might be important to someone looking for those attributes.
All of a sudden your profile comes together. The words you found to describe yourself sound (almost) impressive. Is that really you? Is that really your history and perspective on life? Hmmm. I guess it is. Not bad. Not bad at all.
And definitely worth a smile and today’s shared moment with you!
Moments of reflection.
Moments of believing in self.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Moments D146: Digging in
Heading back to school after an emotionally draining 9 month hiatus seems strange. I’m not sure I have the drive I once did for this part of my life. I shouldn’t be so hard on myself, it’s only the second week of class. But, finding myself behind already due to an implementation of a fall reading week at the university. What? Really? Why? Well, apparently it’s good for the students’ mental health. Hmmm. My mental health would be better if I didn’t find myself behind after the first class due to a crammed schedule.
No matter. Today’s moment is about digging in and getting a good handle on the semester to come. I’ve been able to make some serious progress on my required readings and while I’m not 100% prepared for class number 2 tomorrow, I’m very close. That makes me feel good. I’ve accomplished something important to me today and that makes me smile.
Moments to focus.
Moments to work.
Moments to roll up your sleeves and just dig in!
No matter. Today’s moment is about digging in and getting a good handle on the semester to come. I’ve been able to make some serious progress on my required readings and while I’m not 100% prepared for class number 2 tomorrow, I’m very close. That makes me feel good. I’ve accomplished something important to me today and that makes me smile.
Moments to focus.
Moments to work.
Moments to roll up your sleeves and just dig in!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Moments D145: Curling back into the Duvet
This morning I woke at 8am. The air was crisp. I had no where to be and only a day filled with homework and research to do. If you know me, I love to be busy and be productive. But today, I wasn’t quite ready to get out of bed and start my day. So I didn’t.
What a delightful moment that was. It only took me a matter of seconds to decide to sleep more and enjoy the crisp air around me as I curled back into my duvet for another couple of hours of sleep. When I woke (for a second time) at 10am, I was ready to tackle the day.
Moments of laziness.
Moments of sleep.
What a delightful moment that was. It only took me a matter of seconds to decide to sleep more and enjoy the crisp air around me as I curled back into my duvet for another couple of hours of sleep. When I woke (for a second time) at 10am, I was ready to tackle the day.
Moments of laziness.
Moments of sleep.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Moments D144: Lost & Found
Today was my first golf tournament ever. It’s the second time I’ve ever played 18 holes. It’s also been 10+ years since the last time I played golf, and yet, I found myself enjoying it and I actually performed much better than I expected. (Perhaps all those high school dates at the mini putt paid off?)
It was a beautiful day with the sun and clouds fighting it out. It was cool but warm with the sun. It was perfect and my foursome was a lot of fun to play with. We managed 4 under par. As a crew: not bad at all if I do say so myself.
Today’s moment comes from both my golf day and a moment at home. It ties back to my life, so bear with me on today’s moment being a bit long.
My first moment, and the moment I intended to share on its own, was when I sliced my drive pretty badly. It went into the edge of rough of weeds and marsh. My partner suggested that I just let it go, but I was certain (stubborn?) I could find my ball. So I went on an adventure in the rough looking for my ball. The first ball I came upon I nearly squealed in delight. Sadly, it wasn’t my ball, but one from someone else who had given up on it. I searched and searched. I kicked weeds aside and managed to get my pants covered in fluff from the weeds. And just as I was about to give up on my ball, there it was, gleaming brightly in a dark patch of wet weeds. BINGO! I had found it after all!
And then later on this evening, while emptying my bags and cleaning up my hurricaned bedroom, I found my lost favourite earring. I was elated! I know, it’s just an earring, but it’s my favourite pair!
And this juxtaposition of items lost and found struck me. First of all,the golf ball was something I knew I might lose and I was ready to accept that fate if I were unable to find the ball. Contrarily, my earrings, being so dear to me, are not items that I would readily accept losing them (and yet I had already written them off).
One could further contrast how the items were found. For instance, while I took time and energy to look for my lost earring originally, I gave up the search and believed it lost for good. In the end, my earring essentially found me. On the other hand, the golf ball I searched and searched until I found it.
Strangely I related today’s experience back to my life as of late. Just shy of a year ago my world changed drastically. During this time frame, I realized just how lost I was as a soul and as a person. I was not happy. I was barely content. As the dawn of realization hit me, my search to find myself began.
There have been times in the past (near) year where I have searched and searched and searched to find and replace a lost piece of me (like the golf ball). There have been other times where a piece of me has found me again (like my earring). (And yes, there are many pieces that I continue to search for in the hopes of finding a deeper truer me.) Will I find those pieces or will they find me? I suppose it doesn’t really matter so long as the pieces are found and not lost.
The point is that even when you lost something, there’s always the hope of finding it again. The joy that spreads when the lost becomes found is worth the effort of searching and sometimes we must let go and have faith that the important pieces, the most important pieces, will find us in the end.
Moments of loss.
Moments of found.
Moments of life.
It was a beautiful day with the sun and clouds fighting it out. It was cool but warm with the sun. It was perfect and my foursome was a lot of fun to play with. We managed 4 under par. As a crew: not bad at all if I do say so myself.
Today’s moment comes from both my golf day and a moment at home. It ties back to my life, so bear with me on today’s moment being a bit long.
My first moment, and the moment I intended to share on its own, was when I sliced my drive pretty badly. It went into the edge of rough of weeds and marsh. My partner suggested that I just let it go, but I was certain (stubborn?) I could find my ball. So I went on an adventure in the rough looking for my ball. The first ball I came upon I nearly squealed in delight. Sadly, it wasn’t my ball, but one from someone else who had given up on it. I searched and searched. I kicked weeds aside and managed to get my pants covered in fluff from the weeds. And just as I was about to give up on my ball, there it was, gleaming brightly in a dark patch of wet weeds. BINGO! I had found it after all!
And then later on this evening, while emptying my bags and cleaning up my hurricaned bedroom, I found my lost favourite earring. I was elated! I know, it’s just an earring, but it’s my favourite pair!
And this juxtaposition of items lost and found struck me. First of all,the golf ball was something I knew I might lose and I was ready to accept that fate if I were unable to find the ball. Contrarily, my earrings, being so dear to me, are not items that I would readily accept losing them (and yet I had already written them off).
One could further contrast how the items were found. For instance, while I took time and energy to look for my lost earring originally, I gave up the search and believed it lost for good. In the end, my earring essentially found me. On the other hand, the golf ball I searched and searched until I found it.
Strangely I related today’s experience back to my life as of late. Just shy of a year ago my world changed drastically. During this time frame, I realized just how lost I was as a soul and as a person. I was not happy. I was barely content. As the dawn of realization hit me, my search to find myself began.
There have been times in the past (near) year where I have searched and searched and searched to find and replace a lost piece of me (like the golf ball). There have been other times where a piece of me has found me again (like my earring). (And yes, there are many pieces that I continue to search for in the hopes of finding a deeper truer me.) Will I find those pieces or will they find me? I suppose it doesn’t really matter so long as the pieces are found and not lost.
The point is that even when you lost something, there’s always the hope of finding it again. The joy that spreads when the lost becomes found is worth the effort of searching and sometimes we must let go and have faith that the important pieces, the most important pieces, will find us in the end.
Moments of loss.
Moments of found.
Moments of life.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Moments D143: Conquering the Hill
Today I rode my bicycle into work. It’s only the second time this season that I’ve been able to. The first time around my rear brakes snapped and it was dangerous for me to ride home without them, so I hitched a ride. But today, today I did the trek both to work and from work. What an interesting ride both physically and philosophically!
The ride to work is downhill at the beginning and fairly flat from there to work. It took me 21 minutes the first time and 23 minutes the second time. (Not bad considering I stopped to inflate my tires at the local gas station too!)
The ride home, on the other hand, took me 28 minutes. Those extra five minutes felt like hours. That downhill jaunt on the way to work, was a lot longer and challenging than I thought it was going to be. It’s about 6-7 blocks of a constant incline. There are no breaks in this incline (unless you count a slightly less inclined area before it gets even more steep) which means, there’s no stopping or you are walking.
I rode in my lowest gear for the entire way. Rounding a corner on the hill there was a moment where I thought to myself:”I could (should?) pull over and walk my bike up the hill” and yet I persisted. And while there was another moment, where I was riding as fast as the person was walking the hill beside me, I still forged ahead. I pushed, and pushed and never gave up.
When I made it to the top of the hill without stopping, without giving up, I felt like I had accomplished something. I know, it’s not really a big deal, it’s only a hill on my bike ride home from work. Still, I had a sense that I had achieved something because I was persistent and pushed through the pain.
And then I realized how I managed to complete the ride without giving in: I broke down the torturous ride into chunks that were less daunting than its entirety. I told myself that I could get to the next intersection and then I’d reassess and see if I needed to stop. When I arrived at the next intersection I’d repeat the process. Before I knew it, there was only one more block to go and you KNOW I wasn’t giving in at that point!
It reminded me of life and how challenging and overwhelming it can be at times. Sometimes I find myself paralysed by the weight of choice and the only way I can be shaken free of that paralysis is to break down the tasks into smaller tasks. Every step forward is a good thing. You might take a step back to stabilize yourself, or your pace may be incredibly slow or you may even wobble a bit as you take the next step forward. But every step forward is a good thing and sometimes the smallest steps bring us the most distance forward.
So here’s to conquering the hill. A moment of achievement. A moment of accomplishment.
I’m going to ride into work again on Monday and I look forward to conquering the hill once again.
The ride to work is downhill at the beginning and fairly flat from there to work. It took me 21 minutes the first time and 23 minutes the second time. (Not bad considering I stopped to inflate my tires at the local gas station too!)
The ride home, on the other hand, took me 28 minutes. Those extra five minutes felt like hours. That downhill jaunt on the way to work, was a lot longer and challenging than I thought it was going to be. It’s about 6-7 blocks of a constant incline. There are no breaks in this incline (unless you count a slightly less inclined area before it gets even more steep) which means, there’s no stopping or you are walking.
I rode in my lowest gear for the entire way. Rounding a corner on the hill there was a moment where I thought to myself:”I could (should?) pull over and walk my bike up the hill” and yet I persisted. And while there was another moment, where I was riding as fast as the person was walking the hill beside me, I still forged ahead. I pushed, and pushed and never gave up.
When I made it to the top of the hill without stopping, without giving up, I felt like I had accomplished something. I know, it’s not really a big deal, it’s only a hill on my bike ride home from work. Still, I had a sense that I had achieved something because I was persistent and pushed through the pain.
And then I realized how I managed to complete the ride without giving in: I broke down the torturous ride into chunks that were less daunting than its entirety. I told myself that I could get to the next intersection and then I’d reassess and see if I needed to stop. When I arrived at the next intersection I’d repeat the process. Before I knew it, there was only one more block to go and you KNOW I wasn’t giving in at that point!
It reminded me of life and how challenging and overwhelming it can be at times. Sometimes I find myself paralysed by the weight of choice and the only way I can be shaken free of that paralysis is to break down the tasks into smaller tasks. Every step forward is a good thing. You might take a step back to stabilize yourself, or your pace may be incredibly slow or you may even wobble a bit as you take the next step forward. But every step forward is a good thing and sometimes the smallest steps bring us the most distance forward.
So here’s to conquering the hill. A moment of achievement. A moment of accomplishment.
I’m going to ride into work again on Monday and I look forward to conquering the hill once again.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Moments D142: Unexpected Visitors
Today was a milestone day for me. It was nine years ago today that I wed my now ex. This is my first anniversary without him in my life. And while it was my choice to leave our marriage, I wasn’t prepared for the emotions that flowed through me today about it. They weren’t overwhelming (though I was prepared for that) and I wasn’t really upset, but I did have an indescribably feeling of being blue. I couldn’t put my finger on it exactly, but I was definitely a touch sad today. It’s a chapter in my life that has come to an end. Sure there are some loose ends to deal with, but for the most part, this chapter is over.
I found myself reflecting back to my wedding day. I was so happy. I was so excited for the big party. But even then, I had an inclination that we weren’t the best suited to one another. I was a foolish romantic then, believing that love would light our way.
And then I began to think of how far I’ve come and how many changes I’ve been through in the last 10 months. I still know it was for the best. For us both. I do hope he is well and enjoying life. And I do hope he isn't hurting too deeply on this day, for a pieces of me is with him always and I care about his well-being and his journey in life.
And amoungst all this weird low-key sadness, I was surprised late afternoon by a dear soul visiting me, just to give me a hug on this milestone day. I didn’t realize it before we met, but I really needed that hug and the few that followed from the first. It felt good to know that someone went out of their way to make sure I was good on this possible tough day for me. That made my heart and soul smile.
And for the record, I had a couple beautiful souls reach out to me today about this too. My Mom, though she skirted the subject, and my bestie. It’s so good to feel loved and understood.
My moment today though rests with the unexpected visitor who brought me the biggest smile on this blue day.
Moments of surprise.
Moments of support.
#moments #hugs #sadness #ex #surprise
I found myself reflecting back to my wedding day. I was so happy. I was so excited for the big party. But even then, I had an inclination that we weren’t the best suited to one another. I was a foolish romantic then, believing that love would light our way.
And then I began to think of how far I’ve come and how many changes I’ve been through in the last 10 months. I still know it was for the best. For us both. I do hope he is well and enjoying life. And I do hope he isn't hurting too deeply on this day, for a pieces of me is with him always and I care about his well-being and his journey in life.
And amoungst all this weird low-key sadness, I was surprised late afternoon by a dear soul visiting me, just to give me a hug on this milestone day. I didn’t realize it before we met, but I really needed that hug and the few that followed from the first. It felt good to know that someone went out of their way to make sure I was good on this possible tough day for me. That made my heart and soul smile.
And for the record, I had a couple beautiful souls reach out to me today about this too. My Mom, though she skirted the subject, and my bestie. It’s so good to feel loved and understood.
My moment today though rests with the unexpected visitor who brought me the biggest smile on this blue day.
Moments of surprise.
Moments of support.
#moments #hugs #sadness #ex #surprise
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Moments D141: Green Purple Pigeons
Today started off with an earlier-than-normal hectic schedule, but through all of the frenzy my sights were on the end of the day. This is not typical for me, for I love to work hard and see the fruits of my labours come to life. But today…..I was leaving on time. I had important plans. I.COULD.NOT.WAIT.FOR.THE.END.OF.THE.DAY!
A chunk of our baseball team is playing in a golf tournament sponsored by one of our team sponsored bars - The Moose & Barrel. And so, my bestie and I headed from work (on time for once) and to hit a bucket of balls at the driving range at Polson Pier. But before balls, we ate Chino Locos with a tasty beer! (If you didn’t know by now, it’s one of my favourites burritos places in the city….okay, who’s kidding who. They ARE my favourite…I have their phone number saved in my phone!!)
And while all of this is delightful and made me happy, this wasn’t the biggest moment of my day. Once our bucket of balls was depleted we were off to see “City and Colour” at the Molson Amphitheatre.
With our plastic guitar of red wine, my BFF and I settled in for the night. I loved the energy of “The Avett Brothers” and in particular enjoyed “Will You Return” and “January Wedding”, but we were eager to hear our favourite songs by City and Colour.
And Dallas Green and his crew did not disappoint. AMAZING. Simply AMAZING. If you are curious to see what the set list was, it’s here.
But today’s moments was a culmination of moments. It was during “Weightless” (you can read the lyrics here). This moment was when I stopped watching the stage filled with my two favourite colours (green and purple) and took a look at the crowd behind me. As I was about to turn back to the stage flashing green spots onto a purple background, I saw a flock of pigeons flying overhead. What a beautiful sight as their bodies and wings sparkled with the light cast over them against the black of the night sky behind them. I watched them circle and twinkle. And then the entire flock disappeared. It was a beautiful, smile inducing moment. And one that makes the list!
Moments that are unexpected.
Moments that are colourful.
#Moments #City and Colour #Food #music #golf #baseball
A chunk of our baseball team is playing in a golf tournament sponsored by one of our team sponsored bars - The Moose & Barrel. And so, my bestie and I headed from work (on time for once) and to hit a bucket of balls at the driving range at Polson Pier. But before balls, we ate Chino Locos with a tasty beer! (If you didn’t know by now, it’s one of my favourites burritos places in the city….okay, who’s kidding who. They ARE my favourite…I have their phone number saved in my phone!!)
And while all of this is delightful and made me happy, this wasn’t the biggest moment of my day. Once our bucket of balls was depleted we were off to see “City and Colour” at the Molson Amphitheatre.
With our plastic guitar of red wine, my BFF and I settled in for the night. I loved the energy of “The Avett Brothers” and in particular enjoyed “Will You Return” and “January Wedding”, but we were eager to hear our favourite songs by City and Colour.
And Dallas Green and his crew did not disappoint. AMAZING. Simply AMAZING. If you are curious to see what the set list was, it’s here.
But today’s moments was a culmination of moments. It was during “Weightless” (you can read the lyrics here). This moment was when I stopped watching the stage filled with my two favourite colours (green and purple) and took a look at the crowd behind me. As I was about to turn back to the stage flashing green spots onto a purple background, I saw a flock of pigeons flying overhead. What a beautiful sight as their bodies and wings sparkled with the light cast over them against the black of the night sky behind them. I watched them circle and twinkle. And then the entire flock disappeared. It was a beautiful, smile inducing moment. And one that makes the list!
Moments that are unexpected.
Moments that are colourful.
#Moments #City and Colour #Food #music #golf #baseball
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Moments D140: Crisp Sleep
Today was an interesting day, for it was back to the office and back to school. Summer is officially over and it's time to find my groove again.
Today was also the first time it was pretty chilly in my room. The first time there was a bit of fall crispness in the air. I kept the windows wide open, enjoyed the crisp breeze through the apartment.
And the happiest of moments, curling into my duvet, pulling it close around me. Having that crispness surround me, but not touch me as my duvet warms the air closest to me. It's a happy moment. It's a content moment, knowing that I will sleep well and deep tonight. It's the first crisp sleep of the season.
Moments where the season changes.
Moments to curl up.
Today was also the first time it was pretty chilly in my room. The first time there was a bit of fall crispness in the air. I kept the windows wide open, enjoyed the crisp breeze through the apartment.
And the happiest of moments, curling into my duvet, pulling it close around me. Having that crispness surround me, but not touch me as my duvet warms the air closest to me. It's a happy moment. It's a content moment, knowing that I will sleep well and deep tonight. It's the first crisp sleep of the season.
Moments where the season changes.
Moments to curl up.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Moments D139: Jack Crickets
Today was the end of my brief mini-vacation with myself. As usual, time seemed to fly by and I was surprised as I wasn’t sure how spending three days on my own would really go. (i.e. would they drag out or would they zip by? - they zipped!)
Today’s moment is actually two separate moments. I can’t help myself - I need to share both! And instead of Jiminy Cricket we end up with Jack Cricket! (Yes, silly fun!)
While this morning was focused on work I managed to get out to the sun and pool by 2pm. I laid their and read and soaked in the sun’s warmth. At one point, I am enjoying the silence and the next I’m enjoying the chorus of crickets chirping. As I turned over I stopped to pull out my water bottle from my bag. My bag slightly moved and the cricket’s song paused. I merely thought that was because of the sound my bag made on the ground. But as I lifted up my bag to bring it closer to me I noticed the cricket. It was hiding under my bag! Here it was, that entire time right beside me singing away. What a glorious moment that was which brought a big smile to my face and few kind comments for the cricket.
Later, on my way home, I was passed by a pickup truck. On its windows at the back are two decals of one of my most favourite characters of all time. Jack Skellington. Like this one:
Today’s moment is actually two separate moments. I can’t help myself - I need to share both! And instead of Jiminy Cricket we end up with Jack Cricket! (Yes, silly fun!)
While this morning was focused on work I managed to get out to the sun and pool by 2pm. I laid their and read and soaked in the sun’s warmth. At one point, I am enjoying the silence and the next I’m enjoying the chorus of crickets chirping. As I turned over I stopped to pull out my water bottle from my bag. My bag slightly moved and the cricket’s song paused. I merely thought that was because of the sound my bag made on the ground. But as I lifted up my bag to bring it closer to me I noticed the cricket. It was hiding under my bag! Here it was, that entire time right beside me singing away. What a glorious moment that was which brought a big smile to my face and few kind comments for the cricket.
Later, on my way home, I was passed by a pickup truck. On its windows at the back are two decals of one of my most favourite characters of all time. Jack Skellington. Like this one:
For me it was a sign of a wonderful weekend meant to be for me. It too brought a huge smile to my face as I headed home. A great way to end my weekend adventure.
Thus the blog of Jack Crickets!
Moments of silence and warmth.
Moments of song.
Moments to smile and appreciate.
Moments of silence and warmth.
Moments of song.
Moments to smile and appreciate.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Moments D138: Eucalyptus Steam Room
Today was an incredible day. It was a day to myself and for myself. I rarely find myself in this situation as I love to be busy and better yet, I love to be busy with people. But today, I chose to isolate myself. It was time to reconnect and recharge.
Today the sun was shining so I spent some time by the pool and read. It was cool in the 18 degree breeze, but the sun was hot and the pool was (thankfully) warm. I finished up a book I had been hanging onto from a co-worker for months now. Boy do I feel good that I can give it back to him tomorrow. I also started two other books. Triple check on the feeling good.
But the best part of my day was heading out late afternoon to the Scandinave Spa. I could talk to you about how incredible the grounds were, or the friendly staff, or the large (very hot) sauna or one of the best shiastu/swedish massages I’ve ever had in room 11. Each and every one of those pieces of my experience today were amazing moments. (And yes, I will likely track down the RMT to keep in touch with him regarding his new farm/resort project, but I might even try another treatment with him (even though I love my current RMT!!) He was just that incredible with his sharing of energy and his treatment style.)
But today’s biggest moment. The moment that stands out most prominently is when I had the eucalyptus steam room all to myself. At one point the steamer shut off and it was dead quiet in the steam room. All you could hear was a faint “drip…..drip……drip” as the steam condensed on the ceiling and fell back to the floor below. It was this moment, in dead silence where I slowed my breathing to a crawl and imagined feeling every inch of my skin in the steam. It was hot and the eucalyptus tickled one’s nose but on the skin it was a tingling sensation. My skin was tingling and covered in steam/sweat. As the steam rolled over my skin I wondered if there was a way to separate body from mind and I focused on the rolling steam along my skin, but in a detached way. It was an interesting exercise and one that I won’t soon forget.
I revisited the steam room a couple of times beyond that experience. Unfortunately I wasn’t to have the room to myself again. It’s not quite the same listening to other people breathing/moving/coughing. It was a moment for myself. It was a moment for my deepest me. It was a pretty incredible moment.
Moments of quiet reflection.
Moments for self.
(and yes, girlfriends, be ready. This is what I want to do for my birthday next year!)
Today the sun was shining so I spent some time by the pool and read. It was cool in the 18 degree breeze, but the sun was hot and the pool was (thankfully) warm. I finished up a book I had been hanging onto from a co-worker for months now. Boy do I feel good that I can give it back to him tomorrow. I also started two other books. Triple check on the feeling good.
But the best part of my day was heading out late afternoon to the Scandinave Spa. I could talk to you about how incredible the grounds were, or the friendly staff, or the large (very hot) sauna or one of the best shiastu/swedish massages I’ve ever had in room 11. Each and every one of those pieces of my experience today were amazing moments. (And yes, I will likely track down the RMT to keep in touch with him regarding his new farm/resort project, but I might even try another treatment with him (even though I love my current RMT!!) He was just that incredible with his sharing of energy and his treatment style.)
But today’s biggest moment. The moment that stands out most prominently is when I had the eucalyptus steam room all to myself. At one point the steamer shut off and it was dead quiet in the steam room. All you could hear was a faint “drip…..drip……drip” as the steam condensed on the ceiling and fell back to the floor below. It was this moment, in dead silence where I slowed my breathing to a crawl and imagined feeling every inch of my skin in the steam. It was hot and the eucalyptus tickled one’s nose but on the skin it was a tingling sensation. My skin was tingling and covered in steam/sweat. As the steam rolled over my skin I wondered if there was a way to separate body from mind and I focused on the rolling steam along my skin, but in a detached way. It was an interesting exercise and one that I won’t soon forget.
I revisited the steam room a couple of times beyond that experience. Unfortunately I wasn’t to have the room to myself again. It’s not quite the same listening to other people breathing/moving/coughing. It was a moment for myself. It was a moment for my deepest me. It was a pretty incredible moment.
Moments of quiet reflection.
Moments for self.
Moments to recharge.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Moments D137: Decals
Today has been an incredibly introspective, lazy day. Waking later than normal after crashing last night later than normal, my day had a slow start. I have had much time to myself with my thoughts and emotions. I must say: “Bravo me for enforcing the boundary.”
It hasn't been easy for me to keep my isolation and focus on me today as I had planned, but at the end of the day, I’ve managed to do just that. It’s been a good day. It’s been an interesting journey through time, emotions , wants and needs.
But today’s special moment is actually a silly one. With so much seriousness and depth, I felt it was necessary to do something silly for myself. While out I stopped at the local drug store and picked up some nail polish and nail decals. I’ve never used nail decals before, but today they were on sale and there were dragonflies in the package. And so, this evening I painted my nails and added the cute and silly decals to my nails. When I look at them, I smile and giggle a wee bit. It’s silly but it makes me smile. Dragonfly decals. Yes. That’s my moment today. My moment that stole me away from the seriousness – it was like a breath of fresh air.
Moments to be silly.
Moments of fresh perspectives.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Moments D136: Not lost
Sometimes I feel as though my thoughts, my presence and my words are lost in the world around me. After all, how is it that someone can perceive me so differently than I see myself or how I feel I project myself?
How is it that my words fall upon ears that don’t hear their intended meaning? How is it that my actions can come across as the opposite of what they were intended to be?
Today’s moment was a delightful surprise where my words struck a chord with another. Early this morning I received a message from a friend. I’ve known this person for years, but I don’t know him well. What I do know: he has a beautiful heart and a kind soul (somethings you just know about a person). He’s had a hell of a year (I swear, there must spiritual lessons being handed out in 2012!) and has been following my blog. Today he reached out to let me know that my words have not been lost in the world. His message: My words have been seen, heard and appreciated.
That was the biggest smile ever.
Moments to share thoughts.
Moments to inspire others.
Moments where others inspire you.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Moments D135: Hold your own
Today started off with challenges. A late rise, grumblings getting ready as things are coming together easily, and running out the door without a bite to eat nor a coffee. And yet, as I hit the streets to my drive into work, I couldn’t help but smile at the near sunrise in the sky. It was a moment to remind me to hold my head high and keep pushing forward.
This seemed to be the theme of the day. Work pushed me. People pushed me. Silence pushed me. Each moment and/or situation that arose, I found a way to hold my own and to be be true.
At the end of the day, I headed to an all women’s league try out in a town about 40 minutes away. In rush hour traffic, the commute took an hour and 20 minutes. I was late, I was nervous and yet, I held my emotions in check. I held my own and focused on the music enveloping me with its charms. I went with the flow.
And then, I played volleyball for nearly two hours. It was a workout. These women are not kidding when they say they are competitive. I was in heaven and yet I was nervous about not measuring up.
I forgot, just how much of a difference there is between the women only height net (7’ 4.125”) versus the men/co-ed height (7’ 11.625”). That’s 7.5 inches. THAT makes all the difference in the world when a five foot barely 5 inch gal is setting, hitting and blocking at the net.
Oh my, was I holding my own. Suddenly I could hit and they tested me in power. Suddenly I could block (for real, not just a tip/re-direct kinda way) and my sets were good.
So today’s moment: Feel strong and capable to hold your own no matter what the situation. Today, I managed to do this navigating a myriad of moments that could have completely tarnished if not ruined my day.
Oh, and for the record, I ALSO held my own while enjoying a late night dinner of designer grilled cheese and sausage rolls. (There were two too many sausage rolls, but I fought through that!)
Moments to hold your own - kinda like digging deeper really.
This seemed to be the theme of the day. Work pushed me. People pushed me. Silence pushed me. Each moment and/or situation that arose, I found a way to hold my own and to be be true.
At the end of the day, I headed to an all women’s league try out in a town about 40 minutes away. In rush hour traffic, the commute took an hour and 20 minutes. I was late, I was nervous and yet, I held my emotions in check. I held my own and focused on the music enveloping me with its charms. I went with the flow.
And then, I played volleyball for nearly two hours. It was a workout. These women are not kidding when they say they are competitive. I was in heaven and yet I was nervous about not measuring up.
I forgot, just how much of a difference there is between the women only height net (7’ 4.125”) versus the men/co-ed height (7’ 11.625”). That’s 7.5 inches. THAT makes all the difference in the world when a five foot barely 5 inch gal is setting, hitting and blocking at the net.
Oh my, was I holding my own. Suddenly I could hit and they tested me in power. Suddenly I could block (for real, not just a tip/re-direct kinda way) and my sets were good.
So today’s moment: Feel strong and capable to hold your own no matter what the situation. Today, I managed to do this navigating a myriad of moments that could have completely tarnished if not ruined my day.
Oh, and for the record, I ALSO held my own while enjoying a late night dinner of designer grilled cheese and sausage rolls. (There were two too many sausage rolls, but I fought through that!)
Moments to hold your own - kinda like digging deeper really.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Moments D134: Flow
Yesterday a co-worker returned from her 4 week vacation across seas. It was wonderful to see how the rest of the department welcomed her back and the eagerness to hear of her adventures. There were many smiles, much laughter and oodles of ooooohs and aaaahs.
This continued into today and one of the lessons learned by this wonderful person was how to go with the flow. She had many issues (some quite major!) arise on her trip and she realized that even though she’s quite strict with her expectations, that she could be flexible and in fact enjoyed the lesson of being flexible and not stressed out about things going sideways by simply going with the flow.
This reminded me of my own journey this past year and brought a smile to my face when she shared her new perspective with me.
Many situations and people have crossed my path in the last 10 months. Many have pushed my boundaries, for good and for bad. The entire time I have told myself, time and time again, go with the flow. See where the waters of change take you.
The problem with this, is that eventually one needs to decide where the ultimate goal is. In 10 months, I really haven’t given the destination much consideration. After all, the destination changed drastically (i.e. to choose to leave my marriage) but I had no real direction beyond that….just the waters of change and going with the flow.
Going with the flow has been an incredible journey and one that I will never forget. It’s been soul changing and I feel recharged and more myself than ever before.
And yet, I also a bit lost as I drift in the flow unsure as to which direction I really want to go.
So I make baby decisions. Each one is a celebration of direction. I can be flexible and go with the flow and still have direction. This, by far is the greatest lesson I’ve learned.
It’s good to be flexible, but we all need our boundaries!
Today’s moment: going with the flow - with direction.
#moments #direction #going with the flow
This continued into today and one of the lessons learned by this wonderful person was how to go with the flow. She had many issues (some quite major!) arise on her trip and she realized that even though she’s quite strict with her expectations, that she could be flexible and in fact enjoyed the lesson of being flexible and not stressed out about things going sideways by simply going with the flow.
This reminded me of my own journey this past year and brought a smile to my face when she shared her new perspective with me.
Many situations and people have crossed my path in the last 10 months. Many have pushed my boundaries, for good and for bad. The entire time I have told myself, time and time again, go with the flow. See where the waters of change take you.
The problem with this, is that eventually one needs to decide where the ultimate goal is. In 10 months, I really haven’t given the destination much consideration. After all, the destination changed drastically (i.e. to choose to leave my marriage) but I had no real direction beyond that….just the waters of change and going with the flow.
Going with the flow has been an incredible journey and one that I will never forget. It’s been soul changing and I feel recharged and more myself than ever before.
And yet, I also a bit lost as I drift in the flow unsure as to which direction I really want to go.
So I make baby decisions. Each one is a celebration of direction. I can be flexible and go with the flow and still have direction. This, by far is the greatest lesson I’ve learned.
It’s good to be flexible, but we all need our boundaries!
Today’s moment: going with the flow - with direction.
#moments #direction #going with the flow
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Moments D133: Beautiful Day
Today is a grey, cool, rainy day. What a perfect start to the post-summer season and what an incredible mirror to how I’m feeling. I really love when that happens!
To top it off, I love the rain and I love lightening storms. Today, I have both and it makes me smile.
To amp up that feeling: On my drive into work, U2’s “Beautiful Day” played. Most people wouldn’t have connected those words to a grey, cool, rainy day. I did. And it made me smile.
Moments to connect and appreciate.
To top it off, I love the rain and I love lightening storms. Today, I have both and it makes me smile.
To amp up that feeling: On my drive into work, U2’s “Beautiful Day” played. Most people wouldn’t have connected those words to a grey, cool, rainy day. I did. And it made me smile.
Moments to connect and appreciate.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Moments D132: Contemplation
Today marked the end of summer for most.
Today also marked the beginning of a new focus for me. My summer sports are over. My hectic social grinds to an eerie halt. School starts next week and I’m anxious. I’m sad that I haven’t taken a vacation all summer and my plans for a long weekend have fallen through. (Plan B looks okay, but the weather doesn’t seem to be cooperating with me so that too may be a bust.) My (ex?) wedding anniversary approaches and it taunts me to contemplate where I’ve been and what I’ve done over the past year and where I’m heading.
There is a cloud forming over me for I don’t have answers. During time I spent soaking up the last rays of sun today I searched for answers without much luck. My time lounging outside watching the birds and people pass failed to bring me peace. I feel as though I’m grieving. But I do not know what I grieve. I feel as though people see/perceive me as someone I am not. And worse yet, my words and thoughts seem to fail me today.
And yet, as I closed out the day, one filled with weird, raw emotion, there was a moment of peace. A moment where I knew it was okay to feel this way. A moment where I recognized this too shall pass, that it’s okay to contemplate, to reassess and to revisit. It is okay.
Moments of contemplation.
#moments #contemplation #sadness #path
Today also marked the beginning of a new focus for me. My summer sports are over. My hectic social grinds to an eerie halt. School starts next week and I’m anxious. I’m sad that I haven’t taken a vacation all summer and my plans for a long weekend have fallen through. (Plan B looks okay, but the weather doesn’t seem to be cooperating with me so that too may be a bust.) My (ex?) wedding anniversary approaches and it taunts me to contemplate where I’ve been and what I’ve done over the past year and where I’m heading.
There is a cloud forming over me for I don’t have answers. During time I spent soaking up the last rays of sun today I searched for answers without much luck. My time lounging outside watching the birds and people pass failed to bring me peace. I feel as though I’m grieving. But I do not know what I grieve. I feel as though people see/perceive me as someone I am not. And worse yet, my words and thoughts seem to fail me today.
And yet, as I closed out the day, one filled with weird, raw emotion, there was a moment of peace. A moment where I knew it was okay to feel this way. A moment where I recognized this too shall pass, that it’s okay to contemplate, to reassess and to revisit. It is okay.
Moments of contemplation.
#moments #contemplation #sadness #path
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Moments D131: Balloons
What can I say? I’m a kid at heart. I brought a 1/4lb of balloons with me to my brother’s place and what a treat that was!
Today’s biggest smile was blowing up at least 30 water balloons and playing with my nephews with them. The screams of delight (terror?) as they chased one another in the yard. The splashes in the pool as we tossed them back and forth. The gentle admiration of one particularly “pretty” balloon that was to be saved at all costs. So many smiles, so much laughter.
All because of a few (water) balloons.
Later in the living room, we (all the adults) played with a blown up balloon. In the end, it was fun for all.
All because of a few balloons.
It’s the simple things that can bring fun and joy.
Moments of fun and laughter.
#moments #laughter #balloons
Today’s biggest smile was blowing up at least 30 water balloons and playing with my nephews with them. The screams of delight (terror?) as they chased one another in the yard. The splashes in the pool as we tossed them back and forth. The gentle admiration of one particularly “pretty” balloon that was to be saved at all costs. So many smiles, so much laughter.
All because of a few (water) balloons.
Later in the living room, we (all the adults) played with a blown up balloon. In the end, it was fun for all.
All because of a few balloons.
It’s the simple things that can bring fun and joy.
Moments of fun and laughter.
#moments #laughter #balloons
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Moments D130: Rays of Sun
Today was a lazy day. I awoke to the sound of my phone ringing and I lazily pulled myself out of bed mid-morning. This was a first for me, in many, many weeks.
The morning was bright and beautiful outside but instead of getting out and enjoying the sun, I hunkered down and dealt with some unpacking and organizing that needed to be done. By early afternoon I felt I had accomplished something and I was ready to get out of the apartment, so I headed to our baseball team pool party.
It was a quiet gathering (at that point in time anyways), but lovely none-the-less. The moment that brought me the most joy and smiles though was not the cannon ball into the pool nor lazing in the cool waters for a bit….it was when I jumped into the floating chair. Once in the chair, I closed my eyes and soaked up the last rays of summer. I was no longer part of the conversation going on around me but I was listening to the banter. It was a moment of quiet and peace amoungst much laughter and words. For me, it was the moment that defined my day. Finding peace and quiet and an appreciation for the sun warming my body.
Moments in sunshine.
Moments in peace.
The morning was bright and beautiful outside but instead of getting out and enjoying the sun, I hunkered down and dealt with some unpacking and organizing that needed to be done. By early afternoon I felt I had accomplished something and I was ready to get out of the apartment, so I headed to our baseball team pool party.
It was a quiet gathering (at that point in time anyways), but lovely none-the-less. The moment that brought me the most joy and smiles though was not the cannon ball into the pool nor lazing in the cool waters for a bit….it was when I jumped into the floating chair. Once in the chair, I closed my eyes and soaked up the last rays of summer. I was no longer part of the conversation going on around me but I was listening to the banter. It was a moment of quiet and peace amoungst much laughter and words. For me, it was the moment that defined my day. Finding peace and quiet and an appreciation for the sun warming my body.
Moments in sunshine.
Moments in peace.
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