Monthly Archives: August 2005

The search is on – but where do I begin?

According to everything I am reading, I am supposed to really take a look at ‘who I am’ in order to be successful at this journey. I find doing that to be really difficult because I have spent years working on and refining who I am supposed to be. Does that make any sense?

If you were to ask me today “what is my greatest passion” I would have a very hard time answering it. It is so buried that it is going to take time to uncover. Every once in a while I get a glimpse into things I think I am passionate about…for a fleeting moment … but then I lose it.

I guess a good start would be to think about things that really move me – things that I really love. Here goes:

I love the woods, mountains, the smell of evergreen trees. I love the smell and the sound of rain in the forest in the early hours of the day. I love early mornings, the sounds of everything awakening – the misty light of the first ray of sun through the trees.

I love to listen to my daughter sing when she doesn’t realize I am listening. I love to hear her make up songs about magical horses and forests and princesses. I love to hear her explain to me how things work, why ants are strong, or why she wants me to make her wings so that she can fly wherever she dreams.

I love to get lost in books, in fantasy worlds where things are hopeful and beautiful and sometimes scary. I love to imagine that I am there, right alongside the bravest and most honorable characters, contributing to their struggle against all odds, and feeling the magnificent that comes from the bonds of fellowship or the amazing regard for those so valiant, brave and beautiful.

I love sound of music in my ears, drowning out everthing else so that I can be immersed in the emotion and so that I can be taken places as I ride amongst the notes. I love the symphony when it’s live, when I can feel the vibration through my sould and feel the tingle up and down my spine.

I love thunderstorms in the summer. I love the sound of rain on the roof and the rumbles of thunder and the thought that when the storm ends, everything will be so incredibly fresh.

I love the color of the sky at dusk when everything has an orange hue – almost like God has sprinkled the world with a dusting of gold glitter.

I love spending time with my son, when he forgets that he has to try to be cool, and he is himself again and we laugh together about small things.

I love to sit on my deck (in my neighborhood shire) and enjoy a glass of red wine with my friends, and discuss things we can do to make ours a better community.

I love the look on my dogs face when he sits at the foot of my bed, when he puts is head on my feet and lets out a big comforting *sigh*.

I love the autumn. The colors of the trees, the crisp night air, sweaters and jeans and boots. I love sweet apples, pumpkins and apple cider and driving through the rolling hills of the shenandoah valley. I love visiting the vineyard and sitting on the hill sipping wine and listening to live jazz while the kids roll down the hill in the month of October.

I love the smell of lavendar. In my soap, on my hair. In my bed and on my pillows. I love to crawl under the covers at the end of the day and breathe in the aroma of lavendar – the aroma of purple.

I love tomatoes. Yellow and orange and red with fresh basil and a sprinkle of fresh mozerella and olive oil.

I guess there are lots of things that I love—lots to be thankful for each and every day. I must remind myself to think about these things during those times when it seems hard to be positive.

Keeping things in perspective and finding purpose

I was shopping with my daughter at Target the other day (my favorite store), she was sitting in the cart singing to herself as I was looking through the sales racks. All of a sudden she blurts out “mommy, why did God decide to give me a brother and not a sister?” I thought about it for a minute, and told her that God has a reason for everything, and we must trust in that. A woman shopping nearby looked up at me and said “you just made my day, I have been having a horrible time of it and you just made it all better!”

In her innocent way, my daughter reminded me how insignificant my current set of worries were. She reminded me that there is a bigger purpose to our lives, and I started thinking about my role in figuring out how best to use my time in meaningful ways. I keep getting stuck on that – people talk about ‘their calling’ but I am 42 years old and have no idea what mine is. What I am trying to figure out is, how do I figure that out? I read books, watch Oprah, have discussions with friends, but I still feel no closer to this that I did 20 years ago.

For now, I guess I will keep trying to figure it out -

Off topic: Finding the Magic Door

I have been reading the Chronicles of Narnia to my 6 year old daughter. We are about 4 chapters in to The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and she is fascinated by the idea of a magic wardrobe (or closet door).

She is demanding that I help her search for the ‘magic door’ in our house and says that it leads to candyland. I told her she needed to close her eyes in order to find it within her ‘magination’ (that’s what she calls it). I guess that isn’t good enough because now she is beside herself that we still have not found the door. She is VERY upset because she says that she needs to go to candyland to get the candy to bring back to our family. What to do, what to do…

Now she is dressed up like Hermione Granger from Harry Potter and is using the kitchen broom to fly around the house… She is my inspiration

Day 2: Bad news, Good News

I got some bad news from my doctor. I am not surprised because I have not been doing a very good job at taking care of myself these past few months. My cholesterol is at 250 UGHHHH!!! Now back on the Lipitor. I weigh 190.5 lbs and I cannot believe that I am having so much trouble figuring this out. How can I be so very successful at most other areas of my life, but when it comes to my health and my finances I suck? I guess that’s why I have these goals and started this journal…ok onto the good news.

Yesterday my daughter, my dog and I walked 3 miles around the lake. It was hot but very beautiful and well worth it. I made curried chicken with chickpeas and lightly sauteed spinach (very little olive oil).

Today, I went wogging (jogging/walking combo) on the treadmill for 40 minutes(until my foot hurt so bad I couldnt stand it). I made fried bananas (in a little cooking spray) with cinnamon and splenda, and topped it with some fat free ricotta cheese. I ate that after I had grilled shrimp on spinach salad. I also made some quiche with egg beaters and lots of spinach and fat free feta so that I can have healthy high-protein, low fat breakfasts this week. Let’s see how it goes.

I am feeling good right now – just trying to take this one step at a time. Until tomorrow!

Day 1: Setting Goals

I am creating this blog/journal to help me keep focused on my goals. I am tired of talking about it. I am tired of not achieving my goals and feeling like a failure every time. I am tired of being victimized by myself. Ok, enough of the pity party.

Goals & Objectives:

  1. Improve my physical health and that of my family. Be more active and improve my health so that I can enjoy life more. I have become somewhat of a recluse because of my weight and my health and now it is having an impact on my quality of life and that of my family.

    • 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Bottom-line – move my body!

    • Learn how to cook using fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood, and other healthy ingredients.
  2. Get my financial act together. that means, consilidate debt, put together a budget, and a plan for savings, etc.
    • enroll in debt consolidation program

    • set up a budget-save 10% of income in savings account
    • Finish the Suze Orman program for financial success
  3. Exercise my mind through reading and learning. Set literary goals (some of which I have already met) and continue to read and explore new books.
    • read a minimum of 1 book per month. -some titles: Chronicles of Narnia, Mysts of Avalon, The Unfinished tales, Treasure Island…just to start.

    • learn something new. Take online classes, participate in discussion groups, learn how to make something
  4. Volunteer some of my time or skills to an organization or person who needs help.
    • contribute to the community: Meals on wheels, teaching tech to kids, mentoring.
  5. Improve the quality of time I spend with my family.
    • 3 family meals together per week

    • reading time
    • weekly outdoor activities: lake hike, neighborhood walk
    • movie time