“To feel the intimacy of brothers is a marvelous thing in life. To feel the love of people whom we love is a fire that feeds our life. But to feel the affection that comes from those whom we do not know, from those unknown to us, who are watching over our sleep and solitude, over our dangers and weaknesses— that is something still greater and more beautiful because it widens out the boundaries of our being, and unites all living things.” -- Pablo Neruda
What has had the most profound effect on me, though, is their families. I will forever be in awe of how they make it work.
How do they watch their husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters and moms and dads sail away into dangerous waters? How do so many women carry and deliver babies without the ones they love the most holding their hand in the some of the hardest, happiest moments of their lives? And worst of all, how do they pick of the pieces and keep on living when war and violence takes the one they love and carves an un-healable hole in their family? I often think of a woman I interviewed at a Norfolk TIdes (minor league baseball) game last fall. She was there with her two young sons and a newborn baby. One of the players wore a jersey with her husbands name on it. He was Navy Seal, killed in the August helicopter crash. He would never get to meet his beautiful baby girl or watch the two-year-old play baseball for the first time. How does his wife--now his widow--continue to live every day? I have no idea. So, she's the one I'm thinking of today. Thinking of what she gave up in order to watch over our 'sleep and solitude'. Ooh one more thing-- I included two pictures of the U.S.S. Wisconsin. I take a lot of pictures of it a lot while I'm out jogging... I think it's such a powerful symbol. The shot at the top and bottom is the same, one in black and white thanks to Instagram. Which do you like more??
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Hey all-- it's been a few weeks since I've said hello. And what a crazy few weeks it has been. It's a rainy Sunday here in Norfolk. Since I got home from work I've been sitting on my bed listening to the rain and clearing out emails. Which can sometimes be stressful but other times, a refreshing look back at your life in electronic communication. Lucky for me, today's session falls into the latter category. The messages I unintentionally allow myself to accumulate are often telling of my mood and what's on my mind. It's the ones I keep to read later that let me know what I really want at the top of my personal agenda. This time, I found a lot of emails from a few healthy living blogs I follow semi-regularly. Both have wonderful, positive themes about living well and caring for your mind and body. More specifically, I noticed the messages that talk about taking time to be grateful for this moment-- this day in your life-- and enjoying it for the gift that it is. Whether it's taking charge of your fitness routine and fueling your body with things that will make it better, or living with intention-- controlling the urge to scroll through your Facebook feed (again) or get distracted by things that really don't matter. It's the moments we stop and really acknowledge that we are in control of our own path and our own perspective that mean the most. At the end of the day, that's all we have and a lot of what we need. I know-- easy to say, but harder to live. I think that's part of why those emails are loitering in my gmail account. With a lot of stress at work, and pressure I have allowed myself to feel, it's tough not to slip into a gridlocked state of mind. That's where my girl Maria comes in.... As I was following one blogger's advice to 'close those tabs!', I came across the youtube video of her commencement address that I've been meaning to watch. I finally did, and what a great way to spend 20 minutes. She talks about the power of the pause. That rush of humble gratitude when we look around and marvel, because no matter the list of complaints, we made it here. We have SO much.
There's a lot of change coming my way in the near future. I'm excited and nervous and scared, even though 'change' is exactly what I've been wanting. I'll be moving on from a situation that isn't right for me, and diving into new challenges I'm not quite sure how to conquer. But with every moment that I spend feeling grateful for what I have, my worry about tomorrow feels lighter. Suddenly it's okay that I don't know exactly what the future holds. I don't know the details, but for now, I don't need to. I am happy to be right where I am. One last little note I want to share...I had a few friends over last night and my neighbor, Shilpa, shared a lovely Hindu saying. This is probably not exact, but it's something like: 'It is not failure that we are afraid of, but the greatness inside us.' Isn't that a great way to think?? Often we don't even know what we are capable of. And here's another of my favorites for the road... So it's been a week since I got back from vacation and I'm still recovering a bit. Lucky for you though, I'm feeling good enough to brag about my mad packing skills... This time two weeks ago I was sitting in the same spot, dreading the coming evening that I knew would include one of my most-hated tasks: packing. It was around 12 hours until takeoff, AKA, time to get my life together. For as long as I can remember I've been putting off the pack job until the last minute, often staying up all night, making a totally unnecessary trip to Wal-Greens for some cute travel size goodies. (Have you seen a baby Vaseline?!) But it had to stop. So in preparation for my LA/New Orleans trip, I made an effort and planned ahead. Making lists has long been a hobby of mine, but actually making moves--not as easy. If you can relate, this post is for you. I wanted to share a couple other blog posts that really helped me out. Read this first-- http://zenhabits.net/kids-ultralight/ Leo writes about the joys of packing ultralight. I was/am nowhere near this feat, and I'm okay with that. But it was great inspiration for the those moments when you have the urge to throw in a few extra t-shirts, or shove in a cute pair of shoes you *might have a chance to wear. (How often does that actually happen?) Here's the other post that I referred to more than once: http://www.jseverydayfashion.com/2011/11/how-to-pack.html This girl knows what she's talking about. The brainstorming and layering and picking your shoes first were great tips. Both posts combined with my personal determination (and a ticking clock), enabled me to pack all the stuff I'd need for an entire week away, in a convenient little carry-on.Note: Thanks to my wonderful friend Christina for letting me borrow her suitcase. You'll remember, mine is on the sidelines for now. Probably leaning in a corner somewhere. :-|
I was really happy and surprised that it didn't take any crazy folding techniques or super-sealed Ziploc bags to fit it all in. I know lots of people making moves, big and small, in the near future...if you're one of them, check out the links and let me know how it goes! Happy packing! (Yeah, right.) |