So a little more than a week ago, I posted about beginning a Gratitude Challenge. For the most part, I’ve posted my daily five items here as footnotes. (When I haven’t shared them, I’ve kept track on my own.) But today, this list is more than a footnote…and I’m grateful for more than five things. No, I’m grateful for…
Category: blessings
Small Holiday
Dumpster wisdom: “We can do no great things, just small things with great love.” My Fourth of July began with this thought…and a lovely morning. It wasn’t until later that I’d realize that this quote would sum up my holiday. The misty morning started EARLY with the Freedom 4-Miler race in Forest Park. I’ve never done this race, so…
Life’s Short. Do You.
“Note to self: None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an afterthought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you’re carrying in your heart like hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There’s no time for anything…
Sunday Scenes
It’s amazing how early the first signs of light are appearing in the mornings now. I needed to get downtown SUPER early to pick up my bib for another 5K race this morning. This sky set the tone for the day with warm shades of pink and orange*. If a sky can be described as looking…
Cupcakes and Grace
This weekend, I took a short road trip to my hometown to participate in a very special (Cupcake!) 5K to support two of my high school friends who have a child with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare, cruel and incurable disease. It was a family affair, including my sister and brother, as well as my son and…
What I Know For Sure
During my last half marathon, I discovered the joy of listening to audiobooks. Andy Cohen narrated his own (hilarious) book and it kept me company through 13.1 miles of some brutal hills. Recent I’ve been listening to Oprah Winfrey’s What I Know for Sure via audiobook. It’s inspired. And honestly, it’s what I’ve needed lately…
Memories and Loss
“… even out of unspeakable grief, beautiful things take wing.” –AR Torres, “The Lessons of Loss” Today included a little road trip for work to help with one of our special events. It’s a camp that helps children who have experienced the death of a loved one. The goal is to teach them to cope and…
Up
Look up. Get up. And never give up. (The past two days have been a cloud gazer’s dream. These are like cloud balloon animals. What shapes – or critters – do you see?)
Finding the Sacred in Everyday Life
“I designed my house around being able to have African violets in the kitchen window. I did it because my grandmother had them in her kitchen window. That meant the kitchen window had to be in the south, because that gave them the best light. So my entire house was designed around having a south-facing kitchen window…
A New To-Do List
I recently read an article called “4 Completely Unselfish Things You Can Do Today” (link here). “Most to-do lists detail what we need to do. By their nature, to-do lists are self-focused. This is a different kind of list; here are four things you should do today for other people…”, it says. While the article seems to…
The Small, Happy Life
Love, love this David Brooks column, “The Small, Happy Life.” (Link here.) Brooks asked readers to send in essays about their purpose in life and how they found it. This is what I assume is the first column about the responses he received. And it’s golden. I expected most contributors would follow the commencement-speech clichés…
Happy
In light of Beecher’s observation, here are a few common happiness-inducing things as of late: – Funny co-workers – Rice Krispie treats – Sleeping with the windows open – Flowers that look just like popcorn along my path – Big balls of purring kitties sleeping on my feet – May sunshine and cool breezes –…
My Favorites
Because it’s Mother’s Day, I didn’t feel bad dragging one of my kids to the City Garden this morning. Just a quick trip to see what’s blooming. (This was after a nice hike at Powder Valley.) Peonies….ohhhhh. Especially these. They look like they’re marbled. These irises reminded me so much of a Vincent Van Gogh piece….
Worth A Thousand Words
Since I started participating in races a few years ago, I’ve always tried to manage a smile at event photographers at different points along the course. However, given what I know I look like when I run (red-faced, sweaty and not even remotely cute), I’ve never really felt the need to own any of the Kodak…
What Really Matters…
When you are in the final days of your life, what will you want? Will you hug that college degree in the walnut frame? Will you ask to be carried to the garage so you can sit in your car? Will you find comfort in rereading your financial statement? Of course not. What will matter…
Similarly Unique, Uniquely Similar
This little white tulip in a sea of red caught my eye the other day and made me smile. Pretty little rebel. The next day, I took this photo. This is the start line of my very first marathon. Believe it or not, these photos feel very similar to me. In a sea of…
Just Enjoy
This weekend began with expected indulgences: Friday chai, fresh-baked bread and cookie viewing at the local bakery. But a holiday just isn’t a holiday without ridiculously cute cookies to share with the office. So I helped my colleagues indulge, too. But then there was this morning. This morning was different. I got up early, picked up another…
Saturday (and Every Day)
Saturdays. Be present. Make tea. Embrace conversation. Buy a plant, water it. Make your bed. Make someone else’s bed. Run. Get downward. Make art. Swim in the ocean. Take chances. Ask questions. Make mistakes. Learn. Know your worth. Love fiercely. Forgive quickly. Let go of what doesn’t serve you. Grow. This was a caption from…
Little Loves
Yesterday was my first training run post-respiratory virus. And oh boy, was it a rough one, given that two weeks have passed since my last run. Exhausting as it was, my route showed me some holiday-appropriate love — both natural (above nutshell) and man-made (little plastic heart sitting on a bridge). I’ve spotted random hearts…
It Will Be Okay.
This week brought a quick road trip with my son…but not the kind of adventure road trip we’re used to. This was a trip to his first “real” interview for a position within his field of study. Given that I was well into the second week of this lovely illness that has been rocking my…
Basic Thoughts…A Big Difference
Today is Day 5 of being confined to home, sick in bed. I must say that I am not used to this…and I really, really don’t want to do this again any time soon. But, like all situations, there is always good to be found if you look hard enough. Obviously, nothing makes us more grateful…
Life Lately…
Life lately has been a little…depleting. Work travel, long hours, disappointing human behavior, and just overall stress has taken a bit of a toll. So I realized that now would a good time to sit back, slow down, break the momentum, and make a happy list. It’s so easy to dig oneself into a hole and get…
hey there, friends 