2015: From crap to joy...
Last year I wished for all of you some crap in 2014. I reread this last night and actually felt a little sad that my wish hadn't been for just joy. Pure, beautiful joy (which often comes hand in hand with crap). For some of those in my world my "wish" came true. It was a heartbreaking year for them and I'd pretty much do anything if I knew I could make it all better. I had my own heap of crap this year. But I also had huge heaping helpings of "not crap".
But this year, my wish for each of you is joy. Just joy. Joy like this:
To live a life full of sass and silly.
To roll down the windows on a hot day and sing loud (way louder than is appropriate with a voice like mine at least).
To stay up until my eyes won't stay open any more and laugh and talk and dream with my favourite gals.
To eat cherries while my feet dangle in the lake water in the summer.
To curl up with my honey under a warm blanket and watch movies—that make me laugh and cry in equal measure—on wet rainy nights.
To dance: In the kitchen, in the rain, under the stars, at work, on the beach...with you. Yes you.
To ride my bike down hills so fast it simultaneously thrills and terrifies me...and up hills until my lungs and muscles burn. Reminding me I'm alive and have been given one body to feel all these things with.
To sleep between fresh sheets and on the cool side of the pillow.
To hold my kids so tight I make them squirm (with how I love them more than rainbows, puppies and popsicles combined).
To teach my little furry superheroes that the world is happy and exciting and that they are confident and powerful within it.
To grow tomatoes in my garden and share them with my dog as I pick them off the vine.
To read good books that make me cry and laugh and think deep.
I don't want to get to the end of my days or the end of today and realize it was all just a collection of meetings and goals and groceries and laundry and paperwork and poop scoopin'. To seize moments. To hear less "I know how busy you are" and hear more "I'm so glad we spent time together". Have messy, tough conversations with these people I do life with that result in bigger, better love for each other. To forgive more deeply and carry less hurt. To care for all the things God has given me the the respect they deserve...my home, my work, my finances and most of all my beloveds.
I want a life that bubbles over with laughter, even (perhaps especially) in those raw moments of pain when it seems too soon...or too hard...or too serious to laugh yet.
I want to make God look down and laugh a big awesome belly laugh at the approach I take to what he's given me. Perhaps most importantly I want to remember the words of Mark Twain...that say "to get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with".
Here is to the year we've shared...in spite of all it's crap...and here's to sharing another one together friends... let's make it a good one. Tell me in the comments what you're wishing for.
But this year, my wish for each of you is joy. Just joy. Joy like this:
To roll down the windows on a hot day and sing loud (way louder than is appropriate with a voice like mine at least).
To stay up until my eyes won't stay open any more and laugh and talk and dream with my favourite gals.
To eat cherries while my feet dangle in the lake water in the summer.
To curl up with my honey under a warm blanket and watch movies—that make me laugh and cry in equal measure—on wet rainy nights.
To dance: In the kitchen, in the rain, under the stars, at work, on the beach...with you. Yes you.
To ride my bike down hills so fast it simultaneously thrills and terrifies me...and up hills until my lungs and muscles burn. Reminding me I'm alive and have been given one body to feel all these things with.
To sleep between fresh sheets and on the cool side of the pillow.
To hold my kids so tight I make them squirm (with how I love them more than rainbows, puppies and popsicles combined).
To teach my little furry superheroes that the world is happy and exciting and that they are confident and powerful within it.
To grow tomatoes in my garden and share them with my dog as I pick them off the vine.
To read good books that make me cry and laugh and think deep.
I don't want to get to the end of my days or the end of today and realize it was all just a collection of meetings and goals and groceries and laundry and paperwork and poop scoopin'. To seize moments. To hear less "I know how busy you are" and hear more "I'm so glad we spent time together". Have messy, tough conversations with these people I do life with that result in bigger, better love for each other. To forgive more deeply and carry less hurt. To care for all the things God has given me the the respect they deserve...my home, my work, my finances and most of all my beloveds.
I want a life that bubbles over with laughter, even (perhaps especially) in those raw moments of pain when it seems too soon...or too hard...or too serious to laugh yet.
I want to make God look down and laugh a big awesome belly laugh at the approach I take to what he's given me. Perhaps most importantly I want to remember the words of Mark Twain...that say "to get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with".
Here is to the year we've shared...in spite of all it's crap...and here's to sharing another one together friends... let's make it a good one. Tell me in the comments what you're wishing for.
For 2015 I am wishing for two things. The first, strength. Strength to get through the days where I can barely pull myself out of bed. Strength to be a present, patient and loving mother to my son. Strength to be there for the ones I love when their worlds get challenging. The second, laughter. I want to leave a legacy of love and laughter where ever I go and with whom ever I meet. Ain't nobody got time to be so serious.
ReplyDeleteMy sweet... We shall laugh...hard and deep!! And when your strength fails you (as is bound to happen to the best of us) you have a friend upstairs that is willing to share some....
DeleteThank you so much for sharing this heart felt and eloquent view of your world and your wish for mine. I'm sitting in New Zealand, surrounded by more people I love having spent the last two weeks with opportunities to hug, love and laugh with Tess and family, the Doherty/Dongs, good Friends and now the New Zealand Family of "Outlaws" and all their families. My world havs been filled with awe. I am so proud to be part of all of your lives, to have Family that share all the "Crap" either confidentially or openly, including me in your lives and letting me matter. Everyone's love has filled my heart up, given me a constant sense of gratitude and appreciation for each day. Knowing for me that each day is a Gift, not a Given and remembering all those not with us that we have loved are watching over us and laughing, crying and connecting to us and our daily journeys! And walking by my side is God who shares it all, keeps me safe and guides my life - I am so blessed. It is my wish that 2015 is filled with hopes and dreams that become larger than life realities for me and for you and everyone I Love. xoxo Auntie Jen
ReplyDelete