Wake up!

What does it look like for you in the morning? Our family wake-ups are always in motion; like waves. My husband Rob is sometimes home in the mornings and sometimes at the fire station. When he does come home from work it is always in the morning. Instead of the 50's style "dinner is almost done" he comes home to pajamas and pancakes...or most likely cereal. He likes cereal o.k.! On the weekdays because of school mornings take on a routine feeling regardless of who is home and who is not, but on weekends it's different. Most likely the kids are up before us watching tv for a bit until they start wrestling and waking everyone up. This results in a "talk" about morning behavior and then either Rob or I forcing ourselves to get up while the other one sleeps a bit more. And really, honestly, the allure of a good cup of coffee is the only reason I step out of my king sized sterns and foster pillow top bed. Maybe I need a lumpy bed. I guess what I'm saying is that mornings should be great. I know sleep is wonderful, but a new day, healthy kids, my own home....really I should be waking up completely grateful and happy. So I starting thinking about other people's mornings. Everyone of us has a different morning story and how interesting would it be to read about your mornings; the good and the bad. What you love about them and what you want to change about them. For me, I want to wake up more cheerful, how to achieve that....I'll get back to you.

More.

I started thinking about life today; how much I enjoy the act of being alive, even though....even though anything. Most people do I think. Though they may be troubled ...the idea of not being here anymore still scares them, because they want to be alive...sometimes deep down.

I would not consider myself an optimist, but I am neither a pessimist; I am a realist that finds meaning everywhere. I am not gushing with smiles as I say " I love life", it is more of a quiet joy in my heart.

I love the smell of trees, of the gutter after rain, of silence.

I love understanding a friend.

What do you love?

I mean we are only here but years right? What do you love? Do it. We waste time. That's ok for an afternoon, but not for years. I think most of us feel dissatisfied with our lives in some way. It may not be a life rattling feeling. You may be able to ignore it because your life is pretty great, but don't. It will grow because you were meant for more.  Listen and you will grow.

What do you love?

Today was one of those days that people try to capture; try to create through art or poetry or film. It was pure family summer fun. The 

 husbands were away with work and it was just us girls with our kids, taking a walk in the sun. We sat on the grass and listened to the band play "California Girls" and "Brown eyed Girl". The children sat and listened. I saw a few friends I hadn't seen in a while and some that I wouldn't mind seeing everyday. People live their whole lives in search of moments like these, depressed when they feel always out of reach of summer sunshine happiness.

Me, I am just grateful for the two hours of friendship and childhood giggles.

heart

Sometimes I feel like what we really love and what we act like we love are two different things. It is often in tragedy that the two worlds unite. I know what I really love; most people do. If asked, most people could give you a good list of what they really love. It would start with family and morph into hobbies as the list went on. When it comes to what we love the most, we are all the same. The names will change but it is the same. People are who we love the most, second only to God.

So here's the question...if we know who we love the most, why is it so easy to live like other things are more important? Like time. Or personal space? Or hobbies? Or being right?

Just a thought.

parameters

I started to think I could not write on this blog anymore, but I didn't want it obsolete. I started a journey of eliminating excess and it was a worthwhile run, but it's importance does not mean much to me now. I have only purchased a few things in the last 7 months; in fact I have purchased so little that I could still complete this with vigor and interest, but I think this blog is less about consumerism and more about soul. The very title of this blog speaks to the heart and the mind, wisdom and challenge. I am too boxed in to write about this topic much more; the parameters are too tight. I need freedom. Will you still come with me?

This is what I'd like to do. I would like to explore the layers underneath the physical life we live. What lies below? My posts will be random, but they will be worth your while because my life is yours and yours, mine.

A good cup of coffee

I love that country song that says the secret to life is a good cup of coffee; not because it is true, although part of me wonders, but because it simplifies a chaotic life. Now by chaotic I don't mean that life is all bad or that all days a rough, but I do agree that most days are exhausting in it's ups and downs; perhaps it is the ups and downs that makes it that much more exhausting.

So I started to think about simplification. What does simplification offer? Its nemesis of course is clutter; whether it is physical clutter or mental clutter. It seems to me that simplification offers breath and what I mean by that is it allows us to not only breath easier, but also that we have the time to notice that we breath. Does that make sense?

When I see a counter full of papers and garbage and stacks of old mail, my immediate thought is to go through it and rid myself of the unnecessary clutter (my husband does not share this:). Now I am not psychotic about it; I will leave it there if I'd rather watch a tv show or have plans that night or I am just feeling too tired, but the moment I am free, I will eliminate.

So what about mental clutter, do we go through all our old papers when it comes to our mind? Do we rid ourselves of old ideas and throw them out if we have no use for them? What about all the bad habits that we adopted as part of the growing up process; do we stuff those in a junk drawer or see them in our mind and shred them, never to think about it again, never to reference it again?

If we have all our old papers and all our new papers, I can imagine a headache will ensue. Let's rid ourselves of all our junk! Eliminate your physical clutter! Wash your mind of old dirt...and

breath.

Mutterings

I have to say I feel like this challenge is not much of a challenge. Then again it isn't summer yet and I don't really have a bathing suit unless you count my speedo lap swimming suit in all black. Also I only have one pair of flip flops and they are cheap and plastic. I doubt they will last and ideally I love reefs, which wore out last year. Side note, why do reefs purchased in Santa Cruz last 10 years and the ones from Ross only a year??? Anyway, it got me to thinking about quality and/or lack of. Is it better to have spent 50 dollars on a pair of jeans that last or spend the same 50 dollars on 3 pairs of jeans that fall apart within the year? And that my friends leads me back to the idea of "classic". Meaning, do you buy into a trend or are you a specific wonderful person who knows what they like and sticks with it? For example, I have purchased 3 pairs of skinny jeans within the last year. They weren't really me per say but they were on sale and I bought them at Old Navy. One pair has a back pocket that is tearing (though I can fix it), one pair has faded quite a bit, and one pair came out of the dryer with stains from who knows where. Anyway, what I am saying is, I bought into the times, not that that's a bad things, but just something to ponder. If I had bought a dark denim pair of Levis I would have no problems and could wear them for years, but now I am stuck with three pairs of falling apart skinny jeans which won't be in style forever anyway. I do love classics. I love solid colors and dark denim and slacks. I love earth tones and reefs and pearls and nice brown leather sandals. Why stray from this? People use clothes as a form of art; a representation of who they are. Is it a weakness to wear trends? Maybe. Something to think about.