R.E.S.T.

We all need to learn how to R.E.S.T. especially in the world we are living : Relaxing Effortlessly & Stop Trying.  Aren't we always trying something?  I know I am , I am a dweller.  And when dwelling it is all about how to do things better, for the quest of perfection. I dwell on what was, what is and what could be. But when you dwell there is no room for R.E.S.T.  We pride ourselves on being a multi-tasking gurus.  Have you ever caught yourself arguing with someone about how much you did today (this is a typical spouse discussion) or how little sleep you've gotten? Isn't that a weird fight?  And you catch yourself halfway but you are so determined to win and what does the winner win?  The right to be grouchier?   This blog was going to be titled Working Hard to Relax.  My family is planning a beach vacation.  We spent all day Saturday buying our list of "needed supplies", traipsing from store to store in hopes of purchasing that single item that will add extra bliss to our get-a-way.   Vacation snacks are my guiltiest pleasure.  Not that I limit my food choices all that much but vacation goodies are to be that extra splurge that doesn't usually enter the house for daily consumption.  Half won't be eaten on the trip, I know this, my hubby teases me, and yet I throw them in the cart and while adding this treat I have added six chores: shopping, unloading item in house, to pack in car, to unpack car to hotel, and then most likely re-pack and unpack at home.   I do this with a lot of items.  No wonder I am so exhausted by the time vacation arrives.  I am tripling my workload to hope for that "bliss of perfect" vacation.  And don't beach vacations sound a little bit more luxurious.  And really if you think about it.  You are grabbing your skimpiest outfit that you will parade in public, to carry half of your belongings for those "extra comforts" to sit on a pile of dirt and then rinse yourself in dirty salty water with creatures living in it, and most likely ending up with a sunburn. So much fun! And yet, I can't wait.  I anticipate the moment our son discovers sand and how the water sounds lapping the beach.  I look forward to my husband's smile as he carries our little boy through the water as our son giggles at the cool liquid touching his legs and most likely splish splashing both of us to his heart's content.  But that is the point of this little blog entry.  That all sounds great but I need to enjoy the "now" and stop trying for then.  Maybe put back an item or two or three from the snacks I most likely won't eat on the trip (so won't really miss) instead of chowing down on them when I am bored around the house (and have lugged from the store, to home, to the hotel, back home - so deserve a good home in my tummy, no!) and enjoy the shopping of our son choosing a second swimsuit with sharks and then sharing his pirate face or how when he checked out he was seconds from his first shoplifting (let's hope this is the closest he will ever come) as we learn our son has great pincher skills.  We didn't see the batteries at the checkout stand but the shine caught our li'l one's eye.  There are moments in every day for us to truly R.E.S.T. if we let go of all the trying and multi-tasking and be present effortlessly.   So as we plan our soon vacation, the get-a-way will be a nice change of scenery but the R.E.S.T. starts now.

May your HealthFULL Journey include REST. 'Til we meet again. . .

Preparing for a journey

Sometimes I sit down with a story to share, a life quip, or a message heavy on my thoughts and in my heart.  Tonight I had planned to share my day's experience and then my heart started pouring words unto the screen.  For those of you struggling remember tomorrow will be different.  For those of you shining and basking in the moment, pocket the memory.  For those of you confused, look around so many of us are sitting beside you.  Life is a journey.  There was a beginning few remember and an ending at a destination no one can predict.  So don't forget to look around and appreciate the journey.

Journey

Hesitating at the beginning

Out of fear of the ending.

So many steps in between

One can only hope that the beginning and the end will meet.

We weave our way through the maze

Scared of roadblocks.

Terrified of aimless wandering.

Everything must have a purpose

Or what’s the point?

We listen for encouraging words.

We quiet our restless urges.

We anticipate others’ reactions.

We demand results for ourselves.

We scream, we whisper,

We beg, we pray;

Whatever it takes

To reach the end.

To move from what was

Through what is

In expectation of what will be. . .

Oh how I wish I could share my findings,

But we must let others travel their trails.

Our words are mere distractions.

Our kindnesses rebuked.

Our experiences our own.

Others must stumble

Must choose their way

For their beginning was not yours

And their ending must be their own.

So friend if we meet along the path:

I will bid you many blessings,

Share what I have,

Invite you along my journey.

However, know I will take no offense

If you cannot stay;

for your own journey beckons.

We may hesitate because of our fear,

But know this my friend;

Only in travel may we gain acceptance of who we are

And who we’re meant to be.



Repeat. Encore. Second Helping

Oh the first time trying anything can be magical because you are always on your toes.  The first kiss. The first day of school/work.  The first taste of a new recipe.  The first time riding an airplane.  The first anything gets a special place in your heart.  Because that moment is anticipated and regardless of what happens after the "first" the long awaited question has an answer.  Usually we try to repeat amazing moments to be slightly disappointed.  (Stop the sequels Hollywood!)  But sometimes which is why we continue to ask for encores and second helpings; they are even better than the first time.  Because you're ready for that warm tingly feeling that captures your heart.  Ever hit rewind on your dvr to capture that perfect moment, grab the camera to "keep" the picture forever, nod your head as you hit repeat on your ipod because yes you will be replaying that song.  Every once in awhile we get to re-do a moment that with a little knowledge is even better than the first time.

We had a second family time swim.  My little guy had a busy day but hung in there for some swim time.  I eagerly told everyone I saw today that we were hitting the pool after errands (it's amazing when you tell at least one person out loud your plans, your likelihood increases 90% that you will follow through).  My son, my hubby, and I set a pool date.  We synched our goals, when to meet, and gathered the supplies (with a baby nothing happens without grabbing supplies - from toys to diapers to car seat to meals).  Because of the fun of our first time still lingering the excitement dripped off of our suits and goofy smiles.  We knew what we needed, learned how to open the gate (stupid fob!), and was lathered in sunscreen (super careful with our son but there was a jamaican mistake of using only a SPF 4: I WANTED A TAN! but I digress and that mistake will never rehappen - lesson learned!).  Oh we were so close to that awesome factor of having the pool to only our family - like we were just chilling in our backyard.  There was a family of two youngsters just leaving as we pulled up.  YAY!  We figured out that I jump in the pool and then my hubby can hand me the baby.  As I am grabbing our son for our private pool party another car pulls up.  Oh fiddlesticks!  But they politely grabbed the other end of the pool so we still could half pretend :)   How much more relaxed we were this second time around.  We giggled and had fun the first time around.  But this time we acted like it was our family outing on a daily basis that we grab the suits and hit the pool.  There was a relaxation amongst our parents that echo in our son's bouts of laughter as he splished and splashed soaking both his dad and me.  As a family we paddled, splashed, floated, kicked, and giggled for quite awhile.  And though as parents we were gathering energy in spending time as a family and having fun with our son.  The sun, the activity, the water, and the big day of events for our nine-month old was quickly losing steam as he began to get drowsy in his pool chair; rubbing his eyes and slowly nodding his head.  Splash time over, tired baby on board.  With ease we gathered our pool items, secured the little one in the car, and back home. 

This moment was a wonderful second helping.  Not all repeats deserve the standing ovation, oh but those that do are truly masterpieces of our lives.  Never demand a second helping without a second thought, but don't ever let fear make you miss the encore that brings down the house.

May your HealthFULL Journey repeat those extraordinary moments that replenish your soul. 'Til we meet again. . .

Moments that catch you offguard

You know that moment.  When you hear a song in the elevator and you whisked back to high school.  When you bump into a stranger and for the briefest second reminds you of a dear old friend.  You hear a voice in a crowded restaurant and you know you have heard it before.  And the trails to the past come linked together.  If you allow one memory they easily latch together and can overwhelm you.  I have felt so overwhelmed lately.  Lack of sleep, lack of control, lack of that "something".  I am reminiscing because I had a "moment" recently, one of those moments that you know in that second is a life lesson.  Maybe you can't pin it down but you know something significant has changed. 

I was shopping with my little one.  Getting impatient because it was for those tedious items we use everyday but no one likes buying.  TP and toiletries, essential kitchen stapes yadda yadda yadda.  In search of our toiletries we were on a mission to replace the pouf (think fancy sponge).  I found a fancy girly pouf and threw it in the cart, although I really just wanted the standard cheaper version.  I've noticed they both need replacing about the same.  Ahha!  Found it.  I chucked my fancy pouf in the box with the standards and plucked a cheaper from the pile into my cart.  Seven steps I flip flopped my way forward in haste to finish our chore.  But one glance down into those pretty blues and half tooth smile, I quickly retreated backwards seven steps without even a mere glance.  Claimed my fancy pouf and loofah brush (not mine) and headed back to the fancy pouf aisle.  Because in that one glance down I realized my mistake for two reasons.  One I used to complain when I had to return items of lazy shoppers that couldn't put their item away (or at least bring to the cashier so that it can be returned to the proper place).  I just know my misplaced pouf would cause a duel.  And I grabbed the loofah brush because we should go the second mile for others.  And really the brushes hang two inches to the left of the fancy poufs.  But the real motivator is the little guy.  He isn't quite ten months old.  Will he remember this life lesson?  No.  But I will and I know someday he will be watching and he will understand.  And copying what he sees.  I'm not perfect, but that shouldn't stop me from making corrections when I can.  We shared a moment that reminded me not to give in to the immediate gratification of moving on.  Remembering that my careless act would cause others extra work, extra hassle, and extra cost.  It was one small gesture, but the lesson resonated.  We usually only learn a moment's significance in hindsight.  But what a precious gift to realize the importance during the moment.  Having a son has changed me, my heart, my thoughts, and my priorities.  I list time, health, faith, and love pretty high these days.  All so precious, and all so fleeting. 

May your HealthFULL Journey magnify those precious life learning moments so that you can truly enjoy them in the moment. 'Til we meet again. . . 

Splish Splash

Howdy ya'll it has been awhile.  Our computer is on the fritz which means it is two steps from being pitched into whatever respectable protocol will do.  It is ancient by computer standards at eight years of age and many crashes.  But I have a chance to blog tonight.  Today was a special excercise day (that I did anything is sort of amazing.)  But we had our first family swim.  Our little guy has swam twice in the pool. Or floated in his huge pool seat more accurate.  However, his daddy hasn't been able to join us.  But today we made time and the weather cooperated.  This moment was almost missed.  I was planning for that perfect moment.  I was hoping to get off work early so that we could enjoy the pool when it isn't so busy as school is back in session.  Instead I worked a tish later.  Which made me feel that the perfect pool moment had been passed.  Once again with a little encouragement of my hubby and the smiles of a sweet baby boy.  We motivated our tushies into suits and the car.  There was only one other family enjoying the Friday evening air.  With delight our son splashed his parents and laughed in delight.  The scene reminded me that excercise does not have to be a chore.  Movement should be fun and playful.  Not every moment has to be dedicated to the best burn rate but seeking out opportunities to test our abilities and the chance to squeal in delight achieves results.  Consistency is key and consistency happens when motivation is easily attained.  As a parent we believe it is our duty to teach our little ones about the world.  But are usually humbled when our child teaches us.  My little boy inspires to me to be my best version.  I do feel like I fail nine times out of ten, but am motivated to keep trying.  Sadly we have access to a beautiful pool in our neighborhood and I believe I have used it a total of three times (in four years).  It is easy to blame our resources, responsibilities, abilities, others, obstacles, anything for why we don't squeeze in work-outs.  But the truth is when we really want something, place it high on our priority list we can make it happen.  No one can do everything, there is only 24 hours in a day.  But we can use our twenty-four hours any way we choose.  I have to be more conscious of my choices so that I can be my best version; for my son's sake, and my own.  I need to not get lost in the quest of perfection.  And to remember there is always time to splish splash with those we love.

May your HealthFULL Journey be not a quest for perfection but a journey blessed with love, laughter, and lasting memories. 'Til we meet again. . .