So I picked the word calm for this year.
Calm is lazy afternoons with tea and jammies and books and some form of needlework.
Calm is not having to referee the 500th squabble between siblings while trying to get everyone out the door in the morning.
Calm is slowly picking away at the little projects that we have going on around the house.
Calm is not brainstorming the 1,687 different things that need to be done to the house right. this. very. second. because. I. just. want. everything. to. be. FINISHED.
Calm is one (maybe two) visits with friends throughout the week.
Calm is not scheduling social obligations every single day – sometimes even two in one day!! – when you are the definition of an introvert.
In the battle between life and intention – life is winning. It has not been calm.
But…
I negotiated a rocky morning without raising my voice.
I am getting comfortable with the idea that a beautifully maintained late 19th – early 20th century home, with a big yard, a multi-car garage, in our choice of neighborhood, and within our price range may just be a pipe dream. (You’d think I was asking too much.)
I saw a friend I haven’t seen in over a year, celebrated a loved one’s birthday, laughed that potato chips and crumbling rice cakes are perfectly fine meals when you haven’t gone grocery shopping in two weeks because grocery shopping when it’s almost February feels a little bit like going to war. (That conversation was a balm to my soul). Later this week I will support an organization I love, chatter and knit, and eat fried pickles (though sadly not all at the same time).
Life is not calm but somehow, I’ve managed to be. (Mostly, anyway.)
Which begs the question: could this whole woo-woo word thing actually have some merit?
Either way, I scheduled some tea and jammie and knitting time Saturday (just as soon as I’ve finished the errands and basketball games.)
I’m thinking the woo-woo thing has some merit. 🙂
The idea that you could knit, eat fried pickles, and support a loved organization simultaneously has great merit. If it it wouldn’t be stressful, I’d suggest you get right on that. 😉
I’m going to have to find a way to do all three of those at the same time because you’re right. That sounds pretty close to perfect.
I’m glad to hear you’ve been managing to stay (mostly) calm despite the situation. I always feel like it’s a major win when I can achieve that! And I so get the feeling of just wanting everything done (house-wise) — this was me for our first 4 years here … most definitely not calm-inducing, feeling the weight of everything that “needed” to be done and having to remind myself “one thing at a time” 🙁 .
I feel like a lot of woo (in general) has merit if it’s interpreted figuratively, rather than literally — this helps me to take the pieces from a concept which might actually be useful, rather than simply dismissing it outright. I don’t know if the exercises you had to do in order to find your word would have fit into that “can we take this figuratively instead”, but it certainly sounds as though you’re glad you took part in it, despite the woo-factor 🙂 .
I agree with you, Marian. Woo tends to make me feel a bit squeamish, but I’ve found if I overlook that sensation and dive in anyway, I often find some benefit.
And I feel your pain on wanting everything done right away with a house. I’m a little “woo” in that my environment really does affect my mood and always had – so when my house doesn’t feel like “me” it can be really unnerving. I’m learning to roll with it but it can be really hard sometimes.
Happy weekend! 🙂