So much of life flies under the radar and goes unnoticed. By me. Sometimes I notice a new hair cut, I comment on a Facebook announcement of a new job or I ask about an increased spring in a step, but so many times I miss much of the lives around me. I don’t know whether to attribute it to self-involvement, a teenager who needs attention or a general character flaw. Continue reading
I broke my wrist on Sunday. Of course it was my left wrist, my dominant hand. Aside from the pain and the splint and the doc appointments and the craziness of trying to figure out how to hook a bra, button up jeans and open pill bottles with one hand, there’s a steep learning curve of another kind going on and I have to grudgingly admit, I’m grateful for it.
For my birthday. I gave myself two presents–a creative workshop taught by a poet friend of mine called Spirit and Shadow. Her provocative questions are stirring my soul and disturbing my sleep. The other is an online course called Awakening Joy. Taught by James Baraz, it is a mindfulness class. This week we are put the intention of joy/happiness /contentment into the center of your life. Continue reading
Coming home from New Years visiting of friends and feeling the contentment of both journey and home. Needing a few quiet day to settle and catch up. Needing to make and put into practice some of the new year’s resolutions. Needing to organize to send out holiday cards-more on that later. Needing to figure out just how to plunge into the new year. Then again, the plunge has happened. Umm, am I already behind? Continue reading
Back from a week of NYC travel. A different kind of holiday, a different kind of time spent in NYC.
We usually spend Thanksgiving with old friends in a country setting but that didn’t work for us this year and so, Julia and I were in NYC, actually Kew Gardens, Queens, with Cheshire. The time was notable because we spent more time in her apartment than we have in the past and did not do any visiting of family or friends. Continue reading
For the second year, the small town of Egerton, Wisconsin, organized a town-wide celebration of all things Harry Potter. (21-23 October 2016) Kinda’ disorganized, crazy busy, lots of robes and costumes, and fun. Julia put up with the jostling of fellow Gryffindors and dare to talk to the likes of Hagrid (a very tall and big man) and a few Mad Eye Moodies, as well as a beautiful Bellatrix and a stern Professor McGonall.
Sitting on bleacher watching two teams battle it out on a quidditch field which sort of looks like a game of dodge ball played with multiple under inflated soccer balls which are hurled are the opposing team by player who run around with shortened broom sticks between their legs, a little boy behind us whined is extreme disappointment. “Where is the snitch? Why aren’t they flying?” His mother patiently explained what happens when the real world meets fiction and then asked him, “How are you?” He sniffled, “I guess ok.” Ah, the curse of growing up muggle.
At some point, push coming to shove, we all, well, at least, I revert to my core. I take action is a way I recognize as my essential self. So far, the work on next year’s travels has taken the form of writing to experts, explaining what I think I want, looking at websites and talking. Last night, I followed a recommendation to CESSA, The Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Obviously, this is a promising site, the research page listed articles with alluring titles that held the promise of needed information and ideas. Continue reading
Milwaukee. The 90-mile-away city that we never visit. But there we were for the wedding of one of Julia’s long time therapists who, years after she left Madison, we still miss. A pretty wedding at the Milwaukee Yacht Club on a blue skied sunny fall day. The chilly air was warmed by a sun enough to make the outdoor ceremony with dock and lake view utterly pleasant to sit through. Although we knew no one but the bride, Julia was welcomed like a cousin. Ever generous, Michelle has for years shared Julia stories with her family, roommates and fellow marching band members. And that eased our way into the party. Julia exchanged news about Sonic and Mario with many willing listeners. And after dinner, Julia wanted to dance and found willing partners. Continue reading
When my friend, Cindy, wrote “What’s sparking joy?” on her Blog, Yarnstead, she asked the question: “So, how to get back to that top ten, how to recapture the focus I came back from Alaska with last year?”
Good question! So much on my mind. I wanted to call her for coffee and chat, I expected her to be at Saturday service at FUS but instead, days later, I write.
I know, I know. Yes, yes! I know. How? And not just how to recapture the focus for sparking joy, but also, how to hold focus in the midst of whirling chaos. How to recall and return to it when the immediate fires are put out? How not to dissipate that wonderful energy on those immediate fire that inevitably flare up.
Yes, good question. Continue reading
I notice rain. Just after dawn, coming down in buckets, like cats and dogs, teaming. Or is it teeming? It thundered and lightened and made an awful fuss before coming down. This rain has been in the offing for 24 hours, announcing itself over and over again with two brief showers yesterday, neither long enough to be “rain” and mounting humidity until I turned on the air in the late afternoon. We’ve slept in the cool, manufactured air for which I am grateful. Continue reading
Almost mid-day on day 3 at home. Julia is still asleep. I thought she had no jet lag/long day travel effects at all. She seemed to go to bed at relatively normal times, wake up pretty early and go-go all day. Not sure what switched but she has finally crashed.
I’ve been crashing for three days! I wake much too early and want desperately to nap midday and then crave bed by 9. During the last two days, I’ve gotten out of bed hoping that I could climb back in as soon as possible which is something I haven’t felt for a long time.
And I am grateful that I recognize that the last time I felt that way was for emotional, not physical reasons. Those physical reasons fade quickly. Blessedly quickly. Continue reading
Chasing Joy 