Great Expectations

I’m leaving on a trip to San Fran today. It’s for work but I’ve managed to add in some fun time with a dear friend too. Napa Valley, here I come!

I wanted to spend some quality time with my boys yesterday. I did that thing you’re not supposed to do: had Great Expectations. I imagined us gathered around, playing cards and eating delicious snacks, having a fabulous time. It didn’t quite turn out that way. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, it just didn’t click.

We managed to salvage it in the end with pizza and tickle fights but with the holidays coming up, I will certainly try to keep those expectations down and spirits up.

The Terrible Teens

When I first got pregnant, I worried about three things:

– One: How much pain are we talking about?

– Two: What will I feed them since I don’t cook?

– Three: How will I handle the teen years?

The answers were “quite a bit,” “pasta and then you’ll learn more,” and “quite easily.” Maybe my kids are different, or maybe we’re not quite there yet (they’re 12 and 15) but my boys are still really sweet.

Yes, they leave their socks around the house (what’s with that?); yes, they wait till the last minute to do their homework (I usually have to spin my head like in The Exorcist to help them get to it); and yes, they eat constantly. But overall, they’re good boys – smart, wise, resourceful. They’re my IT department, my sages, my little loves. They take part in family meetings and decisions, help with dinner, do their chores (with a bit of reminding), and get really good grades in school. 

So if you’re wondering, “Should I take the plunge?” my answer would be an emphatic yes. Look out for the socks though. 

More happiness to love

I saw this on the side of a bus yesterday and thought, “Wow, do they know what they’re doing!” It was an ad for McDonald’s.

A friend of mine was telling me about a book called, “Who Moved My Cheese?” It’s about four characters who live in a maze and are each seeking their own “cheese.” It may be romance, a satisfying career, spirituality, or wealth. Their “cheese” is taken away and the story lies in how they deal with it.

In the end though, we are all seeking love and happiness. We may think we’ll find it through the car we drive, or by looking younger, or by buying up all the boots at Nordstrom’s. But the truth is that true happiness can be found in simply living in the now. When you think about famous people you admire – for me, that’s writers, artists, spiritual guides – they are focused and passionate and living for today.

Believe me, just because I know it’s true doesn’t mean I always practice it. I’m the worst when it comes to living in the past or planning the future (to-do lists abound in my world). But my hope is, the more I see the value in simply “being,” the more I’ll simply be.