THINKING ABOUT: While reading an article online, I stumbled upon the word "meraki" and immediately turned to Lady Google for a definition. I guess the meaning of this Greek word spoke to me in a really big way because I felt the urge to scribble it in my notebook. I spent the bulk of my twenties searching for a purpose and felt the need to be validated by my work. I wasted a lot of energy trying to figure out my place in this world; I wanted to be successful. Somewhere along the way I began to embrace that life's journey wasn't exactly as I'd expected and explored other outlets that brought me joy. Why fight it when you can delight in it? It was only when I read the definition of "meraki" that I realized I was finally at peace with my purpose right here and right now. Of course I still dream about what lies ahead, but for now I feel pride in the love, soul, and creativity I put into my current work (blogging, my role as Max's mom, wife, daughter, sister, and friend). If every day I put a little bit of myself out there, I can call myself successful.
FEELING: Back in November, my father-in-law built us a few garden boxes and we filled them with some low-maintenance wild flowers, herbs, and a jalapeno plant. With the exception of pulling random weeds, I can't say I've done much of anything with the contents of the boxes, so I can't really take credit for what I'm about to share with you. Anywho, on Tuesday evening I went to water the plants and noticed I've got some peppers growing. Upon my little discovery, I ran inside the house to text my mom and sister. "YOU GUYS, I'M A GARDENER!" I'm going to pretend they didn't see the text because neither of them responded. Yeah, they totally left me hanging on this one, and no I'm not bitter at all, but I digress. I guess for a fleeting moment I got a taste of what it feels like to be Oprah. This must be how she feels when she tends to her garden in Maui filling baskets with gorgeous fruits and veggies proudly displayed for all to see on her Instagram account. Then I remember I'm not Oprah, this isn't Maui, and I've got two tiny peppers to show for. Hey, I guess the excitement was fun while it lasted!
THANKFUL FOR: Just when I complained about the toasty Texas temps, we experienced a few days this week where the high was in the mid-70s. It was GLOOOOOOORIOUS! Max and I could not spend enough time outdoors. I absolutely adore getting to wear him on walks in the ErgoBaby Carrier, so it was really nice to soak up the sunshine and not come home a sweaty mess.
EATING: I'm not entirely sure how I allowed this to happen, but I forgot to tell you some really exciting news. Hold on to your hats because Swell Rio is getting a Chick-fil-A this fall! I'm not sure how they pulled this off, but it's kind of a huge deal. Every time I swing by SBUX, I get a glimpse of the progress and my heart skips a beat. I see many chicken sandwiches in our future, and I don't hate it.
LISTENING TO: Aside from white noise and iTunes radio, I've been listening to a lot of Podcasts lately. Since Flyboy is back to working twelve-hour days, hearing another adult speak is rather refreshing. I remember streaming Podcasts in college and the selection was a bit stale. These days there's so much to choose from; I'm really enjoying myself. Are there any series I should consider listening to?! I know I'm late to the Serial game, but everyone seemed to really enjoy it. I'm still not sure it's up my alley, but I also said that about Breaking Bad and we all know how I feel about Walt and Jesse.
WATCHING: Here's the deal, I adore m' girl Bethenny, but does anyone else think she's acting extra neurotic in this season of RHONY? All of my crazy loves and appreciates all of her crazy, but it wouldn't hurt if she dialed down the intensity just a tad. I understand she's dealing with A LOT, but YOWZAH! I'm interested in seeing her interact with Heather in future episodes. Two alphas are bound to face off and it's about to get good. My money's on B. Frankel. Everybody say it together, "Get off my jock!"
READING: Don't confuse the blurb regarding the word "meraki" with me having it all figured out all of sudden. Not quite. I deal with varying degrees of anxiety each day, but I've found ways to manage and cope over the years. Sometimes I think we're quick to assume others have it all together, especially in this world of social media where it's custom to put our best out there for all to see, so I was incredibly grateful to read about Whoorl's experience with the "vortex of doom" and some of the practices she uses to prevent herself from going down the rabbit hole. It's easy for me to dial up to 100 when I think about the future, so I found a lot of comfort in this statement: "Focus not on the fear of what lies ahead, but the great possibilities you might create."
LOVING: Up until this past week Max hasn't been terribly entertained with mirrors or reflections. However, after a morning walk this week, I noticed he caught a glimpse of himself in the hall tree mirror. We stopped for further investigation and the expression on his face was priceless. The fact that he could see me AND my reflection blew his mind. He just kept grabbing at my face with a death grip only a mother would find adorable and then he'd stare at our reflection. It's moments like that I don't ever want to forget.
Enough about me. How are you feeling today? What are you up to? Thanks for stopping by!!
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