a change of pace

scenes from the warp-speed february that was

And just like that, it’s as if a switch flipped. And I went from a steady, easy, foundation-building pace to a full throttle burst of activity. Work projects gained momentum, friends and relatives visited from abroad, and my personal to-do list found satisfied check marks all over it. Places to go, things to do—everything just started happening. There was hardly any time for Anna and I to get together—let alone blog—so we opted to recognize that when a wave of activity comes, it’s better to ride along than fight against it. And while I smirk at how that sounds like the best excuse in the world (hey, who has time to write about life when we’re so busy living it? ;) ;)), I did decide to wholeheartedly embrace where I was, figuring that time and life move in cycles. With each ebb and flow, tempos shift and wane, and being aware and accepting of where we are makes all the difference. If we can't learn to appreciate the downtime, we become impatient. If we refuse to budge when it's time for haste, we risk getting stuck in a rut.

So when plans had to change, I’d do my best to roll with things, rather than grit my teeth as I played and replayed the “perfect” scenario that otherwise should have been. When all that go-go-go-ness caught up with me in the form of the stomach flu, I gave myself permission to put everything on hold, checked out from the world, and thanked God for the chance to rest and re-center. And when a last minute trip fell into my lap a few days later, I was recharged enough to allow myself to see it as a gift from the universe, rather than as something that would get in the way of what I already thought I would be doing.

Sometimes things take baby steps and steady progress. Other times there’s a need for speed. If we tune into life’s rhythm and pick up on what pace we should run, walk, or fly at, we struggle less, and live more. And if we also recognize when it’s time to just sit still, we are less likely to miss the miracles that happen right before our eyes.

Life can change in an instant. The thought of that used to terrify me. Now I find myself welcoming these glorious, light-filled flashes, trusting that as I snap out of one moment and into another, I will somehow always land on higher ground.

Love,

Tata

P.S. I always get a little choked-up when I hear this song. Whether we’re in one of our slow stages, or one of those rapid phases, it’s always good to realize that there’s no day but today... to sleep, to work, to run, to rest, to love, to laugh, to be :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHSVvML8hFM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh5JOqu1PLg

rituals and resolutions

2013 is here. It comes bearing gifts of new beginnings, second chances, and fresh starts.  Once again the possibilities seem endless and we make proclamations of all the goals we plan to achieve before the year is over.  Success stories of amazing new career moves, admirable lifestyle changes, and incredible weight loss, all create both inspiration and pressure. 

Creatures of habit that we are, it is clear we need a little extra help and determination to see our goals through.  After the holidays, we often update our status to a seemingly sad, “Back to reality.” But shouldn’t the New Year’s resolutions we just made bring us springing and leaping into a new alternate reality?

We often feel like we are stuck in our realities and rituals.  And the older we get, the harder it seems to break free from the moulds we’ve created ourselves. Inspired by Tata's post, I tried to ease into the new year slowly but surely. And this is what I came up with for myself.

This year is the Year of Faith, and with faith follows gratitude.  I hope to start the year, not with another list of resolutions, but with just one.  I want to be grateful; grateful for last year’s trials and triumphs, and for each day this year that I am yet to be given. 

Maybe, in the process, as we practice gratitude, respect for the blessings in our lives will grow effortlessly.  Maybe we’ll be kinder to ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually and, consequently, all those other concerns on our list will fall into place on their own.

2012 had its ups and downs.  Here are few of the "ups" to be grateful for:  a 10th, 21st, 40th, & 60th birthday, a 15th wedding anniversary, simple trips to the park, family reunions, magnificent celebrations, and exciting adventures.

2012

Thank you, Tata, for our long walks & talks, and the gift of friendship tied up in a pretty grosgrain ribbon bow. ;)

http://thegrosgrainribbon.blogspot.com/

Love, 

anna