You know how it is when company comes to town, Journeyers?
Life gets busier and better and crazier and it’s nice to see them come, but it’s also nice to see them go?
I know this woman who begins counting down the days ‘til her children go back to school, the second she leaves to bring them home for break.
But unlike me, she’s sad and angst-ridden that they’ll be gone much too soon.
Me?
I’m all for spending as much time as I can with them when they’re home, and then waving them off joyfully.
That’s the part that’s hard for me right now, that I don’t have as much time when they are visiting as I’d like.
They are much like I am, making home wherever they are, so even though they are home, they want to consider themselves visitors.
With a few Mommy/Daddy perks thrown in now-and-again, like free food and laundry.
Remember that, Journeyers, the age of college budgets and knowing everything and wanting your parents help but not wanting it, too?
Yeah. That.
But I’m growing into it, Mamas and Papas, I’m settling in to this new life with young adults.
So, on top of all of That, the emotional risings that surfaced during their visits, and the effort of the very hard work Warren and I have been doing, I’m downright wrung out.
I’ve been averaging about five-and-a-half hours of sleep a night for the past three weeks.
And I need my rest, Journeyers.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day drudgery of Life and Sadness and Activity and Recovery, to forget to honor the touchstones that are our respite, our revitalization, our happiness.
If it weren’t for the few pictures I took this week, I might not have been able to pinpoint any of this week’s Moments.
That’s one of the greatest tools we have, Journeyers, documentation.
Taking photos or writing in a journal, for then we can look back and say, Okay, yes, I did feel joy. The madness is only a part of me. It does not defineme or my life.
It would have been so easy to wallow in the darkness of my failures, but I want more.
I want to grow and learn from those mistakes and to move forward by modeling something different for my family, for my neighbors, for myself.
Happiness is a part of our healing, Friends.
There’s magic in a simple Moment.
Here are a few of those fleeting instances that helped cure what ailed me this week.
I spotted this little pine cone while walking the dog.
Do you see that?! It landed upright and intact!
It reminded me of our human ability to get back up on our feet after trauma rips us loose from our own happy branches.
Movement is what keeps us from getting stuck in whatever hard place we are in, and so I relocated this beautiful specimen.
I’m always amazed how rock walls weather so many storms, and I couldn’t think of a better place to position this little guy than onto the ledge of this retainer wall I notice every time I take myself or the dog for a walk.
Fave’s girlfriend’s mom brought me this bouquet of flowers when she came to visit.
Can you believe they still look like this on the eighth day?!
I’m greeted each morning to more color and a little more fragrance.
I returned from running errands to find Big Guy standing guard over something in the front yard.
He’d decided to take his pet out for a little stroll, along with some fresh air and sunshine.
Warren is on the road, helping Fave with a training clinic, so Most Fave (aka Big Guy) and Beauty and I were on our own for the weekend.
My youngest loves games of all kinds, so the three of us left at home spent time soaking up a little Vitamin D and playing a competitive game of Bocce ball.
Today is another special day, Journeyers.
You see, me and Beauty and Big Guy are on the road, too.
Making the four-plus-hour trek, taking our big girl back to college.
I’mso happy for all of us!
She gets to continue on her journey of self discovery and learning about the world and herself and everything that comes with growing up and being a grownup.
Do you see what’s in the top left corner of the photo above?
It’s a cat carrier.
With a three-month-old kitty inside, the “cutest, most adorable and lovable kitten” Beauty’s ever laid eyes on.
A feline she insisted on buying despite Warren’s and my misgivings.
But here’s the beautiful thing: we can question and impart knowledge and then set firm boundaries for ourselves and our home.
And I can smile because I know how it feels to be nineteen and capable of “living all on my own” (without utility bills, rent, insurance, taxes…) and being a big girl and not needing my parents and being FREEEEEEEE!
And I can shake my head and grin because now I’m getting a glimpse of some troubles I gave my own parents.
And when my girl’s away at college, I don’t have to watch it all unfold and be tempted to act like a parent.
I can focus on me, and simply being there for her as a guide, when she comes to me for help.
And I can work on trusting that I’ve given all of them my very best.
As I say that, one of my many Mama Mantras comes to mind, “Every day we’re doing the best that we can. Some days that best is better than others.”
I’m working on accepting that, Journeyers. Some days my best was absolutely AMAZING, SPOT ON, and DAMN NEAR SUPER-HERO-ISH.
And then there were the days that I failed, and those times when I did so epically and miserably.
I can’t change any of it, but I can keep on keeping on, being honest and open and learning and growing and loving the best way I know how.
And I can enjoy watching my children as their lives unfold before their very own eyes, too.
Free! I’m sure that’s what my newly-turned nineteen-year-old is thinking, Journeyers. I’m FREE!!!
I’m kind of feeling a little bit of that, too.
And who knows, if my leaping ability were as good as Glennon Melton’s, you might see me flying through the air, too…
What about you? What recent Moments either took your breath away or gave it back to you? Share a little of your magic here!
Hugs and healing, Journeyers…