It's Never or Now

Last Thursday, in my post entitled, My Favorite Things - April Edition, I mentioned the song 'Unbreakable', and how I would be expanding my thoughts about it at some point in the future. 

Well, you guessed it. The future is now!

But first, won't you take another listen?

Unbreakable

In the video, it's pretty obvious how Lorelai (from Gilmore Girls) becomes very emotional, very caught up in the words and the meaning behind those words, being sung. 

I, too, can relate.

'I know how everyone else's life

Is supposed to fly by

Then someone turns and says

What about you?

And I stand here

Mouth open

Mind blank...'

My life is flying by - that much is true. With just four months remaining in my thirties, it seems impossible to realize that forty is quite literally, just around the corner. And so the movement, the ebb and flow of each and every day, is escaping me in ways I never imagined. I close my eyes on Friday and open them back up to Monday morning, just like that. 

'This should have all work itself out by now

The map of my life should be clear and precise

With little red dashes and circles so nice

Showing roadblocks

And landmines...'

Very few things are predictable, just like how very few things are actually in our control, regardless of the depths we go to keep them that way. And then we come to the roadblocks and the landmines that we were trying so hard to avoid, and find that we simply don't know how. We can't avoid them or wish them away. There they are.

Death. Divorce. Addiction. Debt. Betrayal. Disappointment.

'Oh, I am not unbreakable

I am breaking right now

Maybe everyone can't have the dream

Maybe everyone can't kiss the frog

Maybe it'll be me and a dog...(Jovie?)

And little stuff dolphins on the floor

And a little dog door

Oh, I am not unbreakable

I am breaking right now

I need to be unbreakable...'

What we want when we are met with the unexpected is to be unbreakable. Unaffected. Uninterested. Anything else but this, Lord...please...anything else.

But that's never how it is...or even how it should be. 

Because life is meant to be felt. To be lived. To experience, and then, eventually, when we feel ready, to move on.

'Somehow...

it's never...or now.'

Are you facing it?  Is it right there, in front of you?  

What is YOUR never...or now?

My Favorite Things - April Edition

It's that time again, my friends!  Time for My Favorite Things - April Edition!  If you missed the March edition, check out that post here.

These are some things I've been loving lately ~

I just picked up a bag of these Sriracha & Lime Pretzel Crisps, and while I had a feeling I'd like them, as I bit into them the heavens parted and I thought, where have you been all my life?  They're the perfect balance between spicy and limey (not a word, I know).  Take them to your next get-together, or just sit at home, eating directly out of the bag, like I do.

Ladies, are you looking for a lightweight cardigan to throw on when you're at work, or out running errands? These cardigan's from Amazon are perfect for just those occasions.  I have them in four different colors and for as many times as I've washed them, they've held up very well. And the price isn't bad either!

A couple of weekends ago, I re-watched Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life for, well, let's just say it's been more than once.  Towards the end of the 'Summer' episode, Lorelai walks into Miss Patty's (watch the show) to hear this song being sung.  Gah!  I adore it.  I'm not going to go into great detail about why in this particular post, but mark my words, a post will be coming.  For now, just listen.  And enjoy.  

I recently purchased this dual wall charger about a month ago and it's been so handy to have.  Now I can plug in both my phone and my watch without taking up two outlets.  How many of you have kids with multiple devices, and the family, as a whole?  This is a space saver, for sure!  And, it's only eight dollars!   

Well, friends!  I hope you've enjoyed this edition of My Favorite Things!  I'll see you back here next month!

Me, too

It's been just over seven months already since I penned my first blog post here on this page.  Timid and with trepidation, I took the leap.  Finally.  After years of dreaming...to doing.

The premise behind 'Me, too' has been to share the pieces of my life - the pieces that are whole and complete and the pieces that are broken and somewhat crumbling - so that you might be able to relate in a variety of ways.  I truly hope that has been your experience as you've journeyed along with me thus far.

I often wonder, though, if I'm too open, too vulnerable, too willing to expose my flaws.  Maybe I cross that line of perceived perfection with an overabundance of vigor, too eager to show you my weaknesses.  Yet as soon as I cross over from the land of I-am-perfect-and-everything-is-fine to the land of I-can-barely-keep-my-head-above-water, my eyes become clear, my breathing less-labored, and up ahead, I catch a glimpse of freedom.  Sweet freedom.  Earned and deserved...freedom.



In the end, I will never apologize for being too human.  Because there is no such thing.  Just like there is no such thing as being too compassionate or too humble, too loving or too kind.  The truth is, we can show our weakness and still be strong.  We can tear down our walls while we build each other up.  We can cry and scream or curl up in a ball if we have to.  We don't have to pretend. Isn't that liberating?  We can leave the land of make-believe and, yes, still be accepted. 

Can you do that?  Can you leave that land behind?

l will continue to show you who I really am. 

And I will be waiting right here for when you want to do the same.   



Breathe in. Breathe out. Decide.

It's finally time, don't you think?  Time to throw it all up into the air to see what remains by your side and what falls away?

Are you living your very best life?

Maybe your answer is yes.  Maybe it's no.  

Or maybe it's...not quite yet.  

It's time to decide what it is you really want.

Decide to live your life the way you want to live it, as different as that might look from the life you're living today, right now.

Because this is all we have.  This one, beautiful, God-given life.  Regardless of the ups and downs, it is a gift.

Use it.  Live it.  As such.