Tonight I am grateful for many things: first for a safe return for me and my sister and her kids from our vacation “down south” in North Carolina. The traffic was a bit heavier upon our return, so the drive that had been six hours on the way down turned into seven and a half on the way home. Still, other than my getting a little cranky as I ran very low on gas with no station easily in sight and a mildly ill-tempered return to DC-area Beltway traffic, we finally made it back to Ruth’s house where I was welcomed to stay for dinner before Honnie and I finally drove the last 20 minutes home. I am reminded again of how grateful I am to live near family and be able to connect frequently. I am looking forward to being able to connect at some point soon with my oldest sibling when she returns from her annual summer sojourn to Martha’s Vineyard.
I am so grateful for the much-needed rest of the past few days. Sitting in the sun–whether surfside or poolside–was exactly what my weary mind and body needed, and while it might have been really decadently nice to remain on vacation for a second week, I’ll have to wait to do that next summer and be grateful for the days I have ahd. Today was spent on the drive, leaving me tomorrow as the last official day off of work. Of course, I checked and responded to a number of work emails, but I didn’t stress over doing it: at least a few times I sent them from the beach. They didn’t require much brainwork, so I went ahead and sent them. I did not let it interfere with my enjoyment of my time off. I did my best to relax during those days away: I soaked up more sun than I had in years and even walked a few steps into the ocean and played in the pool–not bad for someone who can’t swim and is afraid of water. I made a conscious contribution to my mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing that I hope will remain with me in the days and weeks ahead as things ratchet up at work.
I am glad to be back. My plan is to sleep in tomorrow–I’m going to try really hard to sleep until 10 a.m. I don’t often do that, so I’d like to see if I can manage it. Then I’d really like to spend some time over the next couple of days doing some thinking about some changes I’d like to make in my life. I’m going to start small with a few microshifts (like waking up 15 to 30 minutes earlier every morning) and then move up to bigger ones. We’ll see how that goes. I’ll also be working on a few projects with my younger sister as she gets her kids ready to start school in a few weeks. That should be fun as well.
Finally, I want to express once again my gratitude to and for family. It is almost always nourishing for me to spend time with my family, and when I can do so in a fun setting like we enjoyed these past few days it’s all the better. To my older sister and her husband who hosted us, their children, and my younger sister and her children, thanks to each of you for helping co-create many wonderful memories and times together. Thank you for the good times. I am looking forward to creating many more in the weeks and months ahead with as many of my siblings and family members as I possibly can. Our times together are precious and tomorrow is not promised to any of us. So I plan to make the most of each moment I have with them and will be grateful for each one every day.
The Crew, Outer Banks, North Carolina, 8 August 2013
