One Balanced Life

One of my girlfriends is truly like a sister to me and our boys (born within a month of each other) are the best of friends. One of my favorites stories is when asked by his dentist if he had any siblings my friends' son replied "Nope but I have a Ryder." As a result, we end up spending A LOT of time together (the boys wake up asking for each other).

She saves me a 100 times a month - I love her for it and am so damn thankful she exists in my world. She listens, remembers, bears witness to my history, challenges me, takes the kids when I need it, says the right thing when I need it and the wrong thing when I need it, and is one of those people you can also just sit and be with.

This weekend we went on a "walk-about" - which means throwing the boys in strollers early in the morning and setting out for the day. We have coffee, go to parks, lunch, the lake, etc. We walk and talk. And I'll be honest she has had one hell of a decade.  Within in the last 4 years she has lost one of her amazing brothers and her beloved father - and prior to that another beautiful sibling 3 years earlier. And on top of that the rest of stuff life throws at you.

As we walked and talked we spoke of joy and how elusive it can be especially when grieving (it is the one year anniversary of her brothers' death). And of how you lose interest in anything other than getting through the day, week, month, the year. I shared that I think the place to start may be the seeing/feeling the joy the everyday moments. We walked in silence and she said "people watching in a coffee shop." For the rest of the walk we conversed only in sentences about the everyday moments of joy (I'll be honest at first quite a few ended with...and a glass of wine.)

• chimes in the wind
• sitting on the steps having a popsicle with your kid
• driving at dusk with windows down listening to loud music
• a yummy summer salad
  

And on and on. It was kinda beautiful, funny, and sad too. After our walk we continued texting each other our "everyday joys."

The next day she and I met another friend for drinks and I shared that I had this amazing day after that walk and that I thought it was because of all the thinking about joy. She looked at me and said "me too."

Maybe I save her just a little...at least I hope.

So for myself, I am declaring this month the month of EVERYDAY JOY.

This Sunday we will playing with the theme of JOY at Julie Kesti and I's Creative-Tea. Some painting, collaging, and massage. Yeah! Contact me to sign-up we have a few spots left.

P.S. Today we talked and she said she has continually returned to the theme of joy ...the everyday moments and being able to recognize them when they are happening. Ahhh...