When did we need to start teaching ourselves how to live?

Two quotes I am thinking about here, one I am sure you have already heard:

“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”
– Dolly Parton

and:

“At what age did I start to think that where I was going was more important than where I already was?  When was it that I began to believe that the most important things about what I was doing was getting it over with?”
– Colin Beavan, No Impact Man

First of all, read that book.  Even if you don’t care about the environment, he talks about things that he and his family gained back by eliminating the unnecessary clutter out of their lives.  Got rid of the tv and started to spend time with his baby, got rid of packaged foods and relearned how to cook and spend time with his family over meals. Do it.

Today is Thanksgiving.  The most thankful holiday of the year.  It seems a bit ironic that half the country spends it rushing around throwing money at turkeys and showing their turkey stuffed faces at each family gathering.  I feel like MY favorite part of holidays are actually slowing down.  Granted I don’t have kids or a husband so I have the luxury of kind of doing whatever I want with my day off, but I plan to carry this through in some fashion when I do have a family.

To intentionally stop checking email, try to push work things or stress things out of my head and just be.  Enjoy the time spent with my sometimes crazy family and the lazy walks around the neighborhood, and chats over coffee and sticky rolls.

Anyways, this Thanksgiving I want to make an intentional effort to be ok with right now.  I think it is a daily reminder for me to slow down and stop thinking and planning so much for whats on the edge of the horizon.  What is almost in my grasp, but not quite.

So lets try to lean in to what’s happening now, even if its not our favorite.  I won’t be single forever (or so I hope), I won’t be broke forever (or so I hope), so those are things that I will try to embrace in this season that is unique to me and where I am.  I also won’t be this independent forever or free to kind of do whatever I want.  So I will embrace that in this season as well.  What can you embrace in this season of your life?

Today I am thankful for days off, good coffee, my house, our cat Jo, good books that make me think, and a brain that allows me to think and have thoughts. I am thankful for my jobs and flexible jobs at that, for my friends that are quirky and big hearted.  I am thankful to have today to spend with family that I want to spend time with and I enjoy being with.

I am, as they say, #blessed.  Slow down today and live a little.  Eat TWO pieces of pie darn it.

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