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Relaxing by the pool or beach, wishing the days would never end.
Sunshine
Warm water
Toes in the sand
Drinks in my hand
That is how I spend my summers--in my head.
Don't get me wrong, I do get to go to these places. For a week or two each summer. If I am lucky, I will go for day trips at least once per month.
Travel is usually planned, taken and then quickly returning to our home. Then we start the "normal" day to day life.
If I sound ungrateful, please know that I am NOT.
I am very Grateful!
My life is blessed by being able to have food, clean water, freedom and to travel just a little bit. Rushing to and from vacation reminds me of the work we have to supply our finances. The car we ride in is an older car, but runs well. The tiny humans we have had, are a gift from the Lord.
Sometimes, I get caught up in the "wishing" or the HOPE of making memories. Anyone else do that? No, just me?
I think about the perfect trip, with lots of money, we go all over the place and no one is ever too tired, to worn out or too hungry and needs fed. No teasing or bickering from the kids, and my husband and I NEVER argue or disagree.😏
We don't have to rush home to work, in fact, we don't ever have to work again. Life would be so Wonderful, we could make so many good Memories.
AND...If I am being honest here...In my dreams, I am a gorgeous model and LOVE having my photo taken all the time. The kids are always clean and neat and smile perfectly. My Postpartum Body is not lumpy or tired.
Then one day, IT HIT ME....
While I am dreaming about all of that and even being a bit jealous of what others are doing ( honesty again here people) I am missing it.
MISS-ING IT, the DAY to DAY, the LIFE.
Kids are growing and I am getting older.
Memories are made throughout LIFE. During it, going through it, even ENDURING it on really HARD DAYS.
Day in and day out becomes monotonous, but only if I forget to stop and see what beauty I have in front of me.
Listening to our laughter at silly jokes or funny faces, talking to my family about everything and nothing at all (anyone have a 3 year old??) sloppy first kisses and seeing those first steps.
Crying over the loss of a loved one,
Meeting new friends,
Going to new places
Having a treat outside or a picnic
Playing under a sheet set up like a tent
ALL of THIS....is LIFE
When I realize that my LIFE, my Memories are BEING MADE as we speak, I can EXPERIENCE them instead of wishing for them or watching them pass too quickly.
*"When we know that LIFE is a series of MOMENTS that become DAYS that stretch into YEARS, we can slow down and think about living IN them. "
RE-READ those last 2 sentences, they are IMPORTANT.
How do we want to live? Who do we want to share life with?
What do we put our efforts, our money into? What is the meaning of life? (If you get that reference, hello fellow sci-fi fans)
Mindfulness is, for me, is a state of being in the moment, living that time as real as I can. Savoring the moments, breathing in the air, breathing out the tension and stress.
What does it mean for you?
EACH DAY is a new chance, an opportunity for GRACE, for LOVE, for JOY, for MEMORIES!
A SNAPSHOT of LIFE, an image might be saved in our minds or through art, photo or words. A MEMORY is made and we can decide what to do with it.
Things keep changing, but so does our capacity to change with them.
We are only gifted each moment one time.
WHAT will you DO with those moments, those Memories of LIFE?
*Quote by Kristi Ramey - Mom to 3, mentor Mom to many over the years and small business owner.