Tag Archives: living in the moment

11.07.15
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The journey of self discovery…

My strong suit is not in making decisions.  Let me back up…30 years as a 911 dispatcher forced me to make split second 911 decisions…so it isn’t that.  I can make decisions on the spot with little forethought or available information…decisions that must be made NOW.  I, most generally, have no problem making buying decisions but frequently I’m guilted with buyers remorse.  But ask me to make a decision about other life questions like where I want to eat dinner and I teeter totter.

So, last week when I sent text messages to a few friends to tell them I was thinking about a trip back to Des Moines and could we get together, I thought to myself…where did that come from.  One minute I was watching TV and the next minute I was texting…no forethought and no regret.  The next few days were full of excitement and anticipation…no second thoughts, no worry, no concern about leaving him at home alone for 4 days.  I was going!

The journey was just what I needed for my soul.  I felt cleansed.  I lined up my schedule, packed my bags, backed out of the driveway and found myself in the moment, depending on myself, clearing my head and taking a huge leap into the unknown.  I didn’t bog myself down with my typical should I Do this or should I do that.  I enjoyed me.  I let the trees and fields of nature and the bright blue sky frame my experience.  I sang at the top of my lungs, I drove the speed limit, I drank copious amounts of coffee.  With each friend visit I lived in the moment…I didn’t prepare…I relaxed….I listened and I talked.  I had a wonderful time with myself.  Another huge step in my journey to self discovery.

10.23.15
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Living in the moment

I’m confident that the more I’m able to process the quietness of my soul, the easier it will be for me to shut it down and appreciate the individual moments.  Each time I realize I have too many thoughts deflecting peace of mind, the quicker I seem to be able to shut it down!  It happened this afternoon driving Detroit to Toledo.  I found myself peaking at natures beauty of the fall tree colors but was interrupted thinking about the weekend…planning..thinking about the return trip on Sunday and then I was able to stop!



No way could my camera pick up the beauty but my soul soaked it in.

We had dinner at a sweet little local Italian restaurant tonight with Corey, Tracy and Erin…missing our girl, Mary Beth!  It is going to be a wonderful weekend full of conversation and love!  I have chosen beautiful friends.

Until next time…..

10.02.15
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I drank coffee through a paper towel

Not so many years ago, I woke up crabby every morning.  Okay…let me start again because I still do.

Not so many years ago, when the first thing went wrong in my day…wrong meaning not in line with my planned schedule of how I should feel or what I should do or what happens to me, I would have a more pessimistic attitude that – well that just figures…that is my life.  Encased in anxiety, hatred, self doubt and no particular self esteem I could grab ahold of…I went from minute to minute wondering what other crap I was going to have to endure before I could go to bed at night and wake up and start the sad, sad next day again.  I was always contemplating tomorrow…because tomorrow would always be better than today..and then of course I was disappointed yet again.    My hair cut didn’t make me more attractive, I failed at the plan to diet with my first slice of toast or 2 bowls of sugar cereal or cake from the night before.  Each day was a disappointment and if there was real joy…I knew I should feel it…but couldn’t.

I used to provide all kinds of lip service to anyone who would listen about how we have to live in the moment.  Now is now.  yesterday is yesterday and we have no idea what will happen tomorrow.  I believed it…but I didn’t live it.  Then as we prepared for my retirement, I knew in order to save myself..I had to make a clean break and start all over.  It was very scary, it is something I had never done before – just thinking of myself, it was emotional, it was labor intensive, did I mention it was exhilarating.  It was really May 6th 2013 when we bought a house in Missouri – and the next day my daughter gave birth to Jaxon that I started to live and I knew that I just needed to make it through another few months and then I would start to really live…I would be retired.

It’s true.  It happened.  It’s not for everyone.  But I had to put the past and the ghosts behind me and start afresh.

I changed my perspective…I live in the moment.  The kidney cancer diagnosis was a huge reminder that we have no idea what is going to happen tomorrow.  I’m still growing.  My daughter helps me fine tune what actually living in the moment is all about.  A cool breeze blowing over me can bring peace and help me relax.  I have choices now…I don’t live by other people’s rules and standards.  I have finally found peace…I feel that way but I don’t think I have truly found complete inner peace.  It is a process.  I know than when I truly find complete inner peace, it will be time to die.  Because my sole personal accomplishment will be met.  It’s a process.

oh…and about the paper towel in the coffee.  When I rinsed out my coffee vessel the other night, I stuck a paper towel inside, put the lid back on and turned it upside down to alert me that there was a paper towel wadded up inside.  Yesterday morning, I took the lid off and made my dark french roast Kuerig cup of coffee…it was deslish.  I was shocked last night when I rinsed out my coffee cup and out dropped a brown, coffee soaked paper towel…that’s all.  Just reminded me that insignificant things happen every day…things that might irritate us…the first thing in the morning that goes wrong does not have anything to do with what is going to happen for the rest of the day….thats what I have learned by striving to live in the moment.

Until next time….