Several weeks ago, I had the unique opportunity of experiencing the eclipse that crossed over the United States. In order to be within the path of totality, we traveled from Minnesota to Missouri. Although I was excited for the trip, I wasn’t completely convinced totality would be much of a memorable experience. Additionally, I was …
Continue reading The Unexpected Joy of Collective Excitement
Then one evening in February, after a record-setting 60 degree day, I was getting ready for bed when my phone rang... Right in the middle of our mild winter was a good old-fashioned North Dakota blizzard!
There’s a labyrinth not too far from my home that my family enjoys visiting every once in a while. Several months ago, I watched my daughter as she sped along the winding trail while sharing cheerfully that she knew exactly where she was going and that I just needed to follow. As we wound our …
I’ve been thinking a lot about time the past few months, especially how I spend my time and if I’m making the most of the time given in each day. Life cycles through seasons of excessive time and never enough time. It seems strange to acknowledge, but too much time, where I wonder how in …
Some details are fleeting. Life’s in the details. Details overflow each day and, oftentimes, it’s the unexpected ones that can grow to enormous importance if given a chance to be noticed. At times I get caught up in seemingly inconsequential details, like a perpetual awareness for when the entryway rug needs to be vacuumed; however, …
As I thought about this, I wondered what was pulling me away from enjoying the moment. I realized it often wasn’t the “What’s next?” question, as I had expected and wrote about in my last post. Although, my emotions were still focused on the ingrained future-thinking, there was a key difference: “What’s NOT next?” What is part of this moment that won’t be the same in the future?
Just as I need the continued reminder about making a difference through love, I also need frequent reminders how daily actions, interactions, decisions, choices, habits, and routines can have an impact on those around us and, in turn, can ripple out far and wide.
So now I watch for them, my little unexpected moments of joy where my face hurts from so much smiling and the mess-free glitter flies around me. I no longer take them for granted. The ordinary moment that is filled with joyful power no longer gets left as ordinary, but I capture it in my mind for rainy day remembering.
Lately, I have found myself frequently getting bogged down in a frustrating pattern of struggling to tackle my overwhelmingly lengthy to-do list before succumbing to mindlessly scrolling perpetually negative news updates. The mundanity was causing me to feel despondent. I realized I needed to switch gears and instead refocus on the candid moments of inspiration that continue to happen all around me.
I allowed myself to get caught up in the simple act of making plans, basking in the highly anticipated full schedule of activities and gatherings, that I almost forgot to stop making plans and start enjoying them.
the unexpected ever afters 