Here’s a typical interaction between a friend or acquaintance and me. See if any of this sounds familiar. One morning at a mom group leadership meeting recently, a beautiful, sweet friend complimented me on how pretty I looked that day. What was my response? To cringe internally at the thought of how bad I must look on a daily basis and say a quick thanks and then proceed to explain to her how it was my makeup from the night before that I hadn’t washed off yet because I’m cheap.

© 2005 | Graceful Intention | All Rights Reserved

Come softly, starlight;

The day is almost done.

I will never admit to possessing boundless physical grace and coordination. In fact, I have had more than my share of embarrassing, uncoordinated moments. I regularly drop things, walk into walls, run into parked objects with a car (that’s another post for another day), you get the idea. I’d like to share a couple of my experiences with you partly because I think they’re hilarious in hindsight, and in hopes that we can all learn something about the power of humor, intentional laughter and self-awareness.

I said goodbye to you tonight.

I knew this day would come; I’ve known it for a long time. I even knew somehow that it would come soon, but I’m still not ready.

This disease that slowly stole you from us the last few years is finally coming to take you for good, and even though the grieving has been a little bit at a time, it never accumulates into anything tangible, and every time I think of you, the sorrow begins anew and my insides ache with longing for what once was.

Does your family participate in the stuffing versus dressing debate at Thanksgiving? Are you sharply divided, or do you all agree? Is it a non-issue, so long as it’s on the table? No one is sure when stuffing/dressing was first created, and the mix of ingredients has changed over time, although the main ingredients of broken up bread and various herbs have mostly remained the same.

I wrote this letter a couple months prior to having my second child.

My precious children,

Life is full of choices. Things do not happen for an unknown reason. Things happen because of our decisions—not because of luck, and not because you or anyone else is entitled to anything. You can only control your own choices, not those of others. Good things are earned and should be celebrated; they happen as a result of hard work, determination, and perseverance. Perfection is impossible; excellence is not. Bad things happen, but even then, life is still good and lessons can be learned.

Let me tell you a story. When we lived in Tucson several years ago, we had a two-year-old, it was about 10 pm and we were totally out of diapers. There were none on the changing table, none in the closet, and none in the diaper bag. I know there are fellow parents reading this who have been there, done that. A certain, unnamed discount merchandiser to the rescue, right? Our daughter was in bed, asleep, so while my husband stayed home with her and finished up a couple of work assignments, I relished the alone time and drove down the darkened outer road next to the freeway the almost three miles to the store, parked in the well-lit parking lot, walked inside, found my diapers, checked out, and then walked back out into the parking lot to head for my car. I probably should have been, but I honestly wasn’t thinking at all about my safety at that moment in time.

© 2018 | Graceful Intention | All Rights Reserved

Strange.

Emotions stare blankly back at you in a convoluted reflection. Nothing is there.

But sometimes, a wave. Sometimes gentle and lovely and fragrant as balmy summer fields. Sometimes so fierce you exhale in torrents and roughly gasp in the thin atmosphere of agony.

A wave of what? Nostalgia? Remembrance? Reverence? Loss? Love? Hate? Anger?

Written in honor of our brave Veterans for Veteran’s Day – © 2018 | Graceful Intention | All Rights Reserved

Inhale. Exhale.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you find tidbits to enrich your life and encouragement for your journey! Sit a spell. Let’s be intentional together. Imperfections and all, you are welcome here.