Who doesn’t love a week off, especially when the weather is so ready for you to join it outside? The temperature mostly sat in the upper sixties and lower seventies (though there was a day that reached for eighty and very nearly grabbed it), and the sun blessed us with a warmth the wind lightly swept around us.
You’d think after a year of being stuck, I’d be ready for some action— and I am— but I also fully appreciated the slower pace this week, the last vestiges of a life… well, not necessarily less taxing, but somehow less taxed. Our time is too often nickeled and dimed. The forced slow-down, while isolating and depressing and a hundred other negative things, also offered me perspective at the precise moment in my life when I was ready to gain it. And now I’m facing down a full marking period back in the thick of it all (sort of); I’m facing the remnants of my old life— some of them missed, some of them happily dismissed.
And so I made sure to savor this week. Because what is life other than a series of seconds, minutes, days, strung together to create an existence? An existence that will be a whole lot of rushing toward the last moment if you don’t at least try to experience those seconds, minutes, days.
I know. I’m getting all philosophical and shit. But life’s meaning is something we create ourselves by reflecting on time spent. So damn it. That’s what Imma do: reflect.
Sunday
And appreciate.
What do you see in this picture? Some ornate mirrors? Perhaps your eye is drawn to the window? Mine hones right in on a chocolate egg in a blue wrapper. An egg that was hidden by my father at my mother’s urging. Since I didn’t have a Thanksgiving, my mom wanted to give me an old school Easter egg hunt. Am I a woman in her thirties who said “Hell yes!” to that? Abso-fucking-lutely. Game on, Mom.
And did I try to do a crafty roll over one of the beds upstairs in an attempt to snatch up more chocolate before my mom could? I sure as heck did. And did I catch my foot on the blanket and almost fly face-first into the wooden stand on the other side? Perhaps. Did my basket go flying when I threw my hands forward to save myself? Yup. Did I still win 56-28? Yes I did.
Monday
My yoga practice Monday was the best it’s been since we’ve gone to Zoom. I finally found “the zone” again. Perhaps it’s because I got so much sunshine, or maybe there’s not a single thing I can point to as the reason, but I didn’t drop to child’s pose and stay there for ten minutes or grab my phone to text Nick something funny in the middle of the practice. Progress.
Tuesday
Seeing Jessica’s cats Tuesday made me miss Sammy a ton. At least Tyson still visits me all the time… and the visit with Jess was nice. We sat outside with a glass of wine and caught each other up on life.
Wednesday
Went for more than one walk with Kath this week, but on Wednesday we actually went some place new! She frequents the Rayhill trail on her own, but usually we go to Sherrill Brook Park for our walks together. The change of scenery was nice. It put a smile on my face.
Thursday
Sometimes a girl just needs to climb a tree. And that’s what I did.
And then I spent some time with Aung. We grabbed food and ate on my back porch. I adore that kid. We were talking about random things, and he told me about a YouTube channel he likes. He brought up a video to show me and I can’t express how excited I was to see that it was a video pointing out all the flaws of the live-action Mulan remake. How coincidental! I had recently seen the movie and had been railing against it to anyone who would listen… specifically J. Erion, Loucy, and Ben. I sent each of them a 21 minute video I found on the Just Write YouTube channel that covered most of what I had major problems with in the film and, bless all three of their hearts, each watched the whole thing. I told them to check out the first three minutes; I wasn’t expecting them to stay with it until the end… Okay, I may have sent along three or four other minute marks to play as well… But seriously. How wonderful are they??
And how wonderful is Aung who got my AirPlay to work?? Now I can use Loucy’s Disney+ and Ben’s HBO Max accounts on the reg!
Friday
I commissioned a painting from a former student of mine, and she delivered it on Friday. I’m obsessed with it. The little flowers in the sea of sky remind me of one of my favorite picture books. In The Whale’s Song, Lily offers the whales a flower, and in return, they sing her name. That story always touched something in me, and so does this piece of art. I just love Diana’s painting. I also loved hearing updates about her life and her brother’s life. He was on one of my soccer teams when I ran the refugee youth club. It makes my heart happy to hear they are both doing well.
Saturday
I rounded out the week with a fun workout at Nick and Ashley’s, a run around the golf course, and a long walk at the park with Kath. When I was on my run, I ran into someone who used to work in the grant program with me. He was a college student at the time, working as a tutor in our program. He’s a physical therapist now, and he’s engaged! He looks the same, and is as sweet as ever. He introduced me to his fiancé and his dog and told me I look strong. That could have been a really awkward thing for someone to say, but it wasn’t at all. It was honestly a much better compliment than “You look good” or “You look fit.” It was less about attractiveness and more about recognition that I am woman, hear me fucking roar.
Oh, and Tyson says hi again.