Happy Sunday, Journeyer!
Each week I sit down at my computer and scroll through my iPhone’s camera roll and through my week’s notes.
This look into my week’s rear-view mirror is a way of illuminating my week ahead.
Sound strange or contradictory?
In the traditional sense of “rear-view” mirror it is, but in the context of my weekly challenge to all of us, it’s like a little window into a wonderful future.
It’s a way of changing our hard-wired way of focusing on all that is not right and giving more space in our minds and our hearts to those things that make us feel good.
As I type I can hardly keep my eyes open, a fatigue that has dogged me all day…
I first felt its weight when I plopped my feet onto the floor at ten-forty-five this morning, a sleep-in I owed myself after staying up until four in the morning to keep an ear out for the sixteen young adults celebrating an after-prom night.
With Warren in Sacramento for the weekend, I, alone, enjoyed the banter, camaraderie, and laughter bellowing out from Big Guy and his friends.
I felt fatigue’s less fuzzy side when I stepped onto the scale for my weekly weigh-in. Dedicated to an every-other-day fast with regular meals for the other days and a return to the gym for some serious cross-fit workouts, I was disheartened to see I’d gained seven-tenths of a pound!
How is that even possible?
That thought has frequently interrupted today’s thoughts, which I’ve tried to combat with a little compassion…
I have nicely set those negative thoughts aside, even as I struggled to come up with today’s post.
Sometimes those happy moments are as simple as this little reminder of what joy feels like on my feet!
And this little reminder that I’m a lucky girl.
That post did resurrect that old feeling as well as the joy I felt when I finally finished taking down the snowman collection in my foyer, put out my spring things, and FINALLY boxed up the Christmas trees and front-door decorations!
What a sense of accomplishment I felt and a sigh of relief that I no longer have to walk around those items while trekking to my computer!
This week’s happy included fulfilling my wish to write (and complete) two weekly posts…
Cleaning out four garbage bags of clothes from mine, Warren’s, Fave’s, and Big Guy’s closets…
The excited response from the teacher I donated the clothing to…
Buying a new pair of snazzy sneakers for my training…
AND TOSSING THE OLD PAIR!
Texts I received from Fave and Beauty…
Preparing for Big Guy’s after-prom party…
These students students are so funny, witty, and charming!
They come with crazy socks, crazier characters, and inevitably some article of clothing or charging cord left behind!
And what a mix: athletes, musicians, actors all meshing together to form one eclectic and solid group.
The world could learn a few things from these kids, like how we all have the ability to get along and how to stop making decisions based on stereotype.
I truly can’t help but recognize how my life has been enriched by the presence of these young adults…
Heck, I can’t help but recognize how my life has been enriched by the presence of Gavin, Fave, Beauty, my family, and my friends, which includes You, fellow journeyer…
Just typing those words warms my heart…
Speaking of warming my heart, I guess much of this week’s happy comes in the form of Facebook posts…a rarity…
This past week, I was reminded of the stark contrast–the divide–that still exists between many African Americans and Caucasians…
A black male assaulted and body-slammed a white male, body-slamming him onto the concrete, resulting in broken ribs, a concussion, and immediate seizures on the front steps of his school, while another African American male video-taped the violence then posted it for the world to see…
“If it’d been a white person who’d done that there’d be all kinds of uproar and racism outcries,” someone said to me.
For a moment I mourned reverse racism, hatred, and the failure of so many who refuse to let go of these stereotypes…
But this…this guy…this young lad’s video from the front seat of his car restores my hope that one day we might find that compassion and understanding lead the show…
Speaking of the show going on, despite the recent upheaval in Indiana, the first National Grief and Hope Convention is moving forward as planned and it begins THIS THURSDAY!
If you’re looking for inspiration and support for your grief and healing, please consider joining us for one (or more!) of the sessions! And be sure to visit me and my exhibit in the Grand Ballroom #4!
I look forward to meeting you in real life!
What about you, Journeyer, what happy moments stole your show this past week? Share them here and spread a little entertainment and excitement!
Until we meet again, yours in hope, healing, and happiness,