One Balanced Life

Feeling overtired and anxious about leaving late and how the kids would do in the car with 1400+ miles to go, I found myself wondering about the commitment I made to myself…to slow down, pause and reflect daily on gratitude, self-care, or whatever inspiration came to me for the next 30 days. Ugh…this was going to take practice. In fact, I briefly considered holding off until we actually arrived at our final destination but that seemed a little like cheating.

An eternity later we arrived at our friends in Chicago and had a wonderful time…watching the excitement as the kids experienced the Choo Choo resturant in Des Plaines (where the food arrives by train), the wild abandonment of 5 kids under 4 flinging themselves off a air mattress onto another, and reconnecting with old friends. Friends I met in graduate school. I am deeply thankful that time and distance hasn’t changed our friendship but recognize how important it is to nurture the relationships that feed us.

Is there a person in your life you want to reconnect with? A relationship you want to nurture? What is stopping you? Work through it and reconnect.

As I listened to my son creeping upstairs to my bed this morning I couldn't help but smile at his attempt to be quiet. After crawling up and snuggling down between us, he proceeded to gently brush the hair away from my face and placed his hand under my cheek (something he has done since he was a baby). Overwhelmed with gratitude for my blessings I told him that this was my favorite part of the day and he softly replied, "I haven't had my favorite part of the day yet."

For my son this gratitude practice of pointing out our favorite parts of the day is a familiar one. My husband and I started it before children and have carried on the tradition...we do it a meals, in the car, at bed, or in the soft moments before dawn.  Hoping it will encourage my children to pause and reflect on what they are grateful for , I carry on the tradition with them.

A gratitude practice is tremendously powerful tool that can really help you change your outlook. And changing our thinking changes our world. Oprah's practice of writing down the things you are grateful for daily may work for you, perhaps a moment of reflection is all you need, or invite your kids to participate. It is delightful to hear what they come up!

I tend to become a little edgy, restless, and dark around this time of year, especially when the mercury seems to be creeping up sooooo slowly. Not sure why I would further exacerbate the gloom of the coldest winter in twelve years by reading this book and this one and watching this movie. I would love to say that it was the books and the movie alone that led me to consider what I take for granted in my life….but I’ll be honest it was the loss of my internet “connectivity” for 52 hours that really woke me up.

So here is my list of the five things I’m grateful for today….

1. The ability to breathe freely.
2. A good cup of coffee and the absurdity of the fact that I can actually debate whether I want to grind and brew my own fair trade organic or visit a local shop for some caffeinated drink with whipped cream and shavings.
3. My husband….shush…don’t tell him. In the initial moments following my most recent birth I must have agreed when my dearest requested a five day trip to his beloved mountains. I attribute this total lapse in judgment to distraction and the thought I could do anything, like being a single parent for five days, since I had just completed a "successful" VBAC. Well let’s just say I can do it...just not very well. I need him as much as he needs fresh powder.
4. Okay, I was ambitious when I said five….need to go sleep in my clean sheets in my heated house.

I'd love to hear what you take for granted....