Sheer Joy

I have had moments in my life where I am just simply overcome with joy.  That's the only word I can come up with for it but it's more than that.  I am filled to overflowing with whatever is happening in the moment in time.  I feel an aura around me that is almost tangible, the feeling of being blessed in unexplainable ways.  I feel like I will explode and suddenly I am in tears - not crying tears - just tears that must be expelled.  It happened repeatedly immediately after Callie was born.  To see my baby mothering her own baby was just more than I was prepared to take in stride.  It happened over and over again to a point where I asked my friend, Paula,  when will I stop crying?  She assured me that it would pass and she was right, it did.  But this weekend it happened again.  Up until this point in my life I have mostly defined myself by what I do.  But this year, that seems to be changing.  Work is not fulfilling me but yet I am making money that is bringing me all kinds of other happiness.  I am traveling again.  I am going out to dinner with friends and not worrying about the cost before accepting.  That part of my life is about as good as it has ever been.  This weekend I flew to Anaheim to run the Tinker Bell Half Marathon and enjoy DisneyLand with my grandchildren.  I got there in time to see the Kids Race. The minute Callie saw me, she ran full bore with arms open wide and jumped in my arms shouting "Grandma!"  I was overcome with that unadulterated look of love on her face.  We went to the coffee shop and had a bit of a makeshift "picnic" snack.  She kept saying "This is the best picnic ever!"  By that point, the blessings were innumerable.  I was grateful for my job, my job that had a 3 day weekend, that Maria and Bill would invite me to be a part of it all, that I had the money to fly to Anaheim, , that I could be there to see the girls crossing the finish line, that I could eat with them and play with them.  I was once again over come with sheer joy.  I am blessed.

No Regrets

Living life with no regrets means coming to terms with the fact that you are in at least the fall and possibly the winter of your life.  For me, work no longer is the focus.  I have gone back to my life list and refocused my energy.  Work has become the means to a new end - to live life fully.

Plan #1 is to get a summer school job and take a tour of Ireland and Scotland

Plan #2 is to go to New Orleans/Natchez over spring break.

Plan #3 is to figure out the work thing.  As much as I love teaching, I'm pretty sure that this placement is not a good fit for me for lots of different reason.  Now, what to do about it.  Things are not that great in the Diocese and I know there's no going back to public school.  Maybe I'm done with teaching…  There are lots of ways to teach without being in the classroom.  We'll just have to wait and see what the next few months have in store for this funny little journey I am on.

Keeping Things in Balance

My goal for 2014 is to get things back in balance.  I am hoping that this Christmas vacation is an indicator of what's ahead.  I did plenty of work but I also played a lot.

I started off with lots of time with the little people in my life.  That always reminds me of what's important in life!

I got in lots of reading - actually finished the book I started reading last summer - and started a new one.  But the big news is that I have a huge list of books to read so I can make plans for the future.  Thank you to everyone who contributed suggestions.

I did a little writing.  It is good to be back on my blog.

I got in some running and fitness time.  I ran or walked  4-5 times a week.  It felt good to be back in the routine again.  I got in a walk on the beach and one in the woods.

I even saw some movies for added diversion.  I can't remember the last time I did that!  Here is the list:
American Hustle, Philomena, Dallas Buyer's Club, Nebraska, and Gravity.  Bring on the Emmys!

And there was plenty of work - Lesson plans for the upcoming week are done as well as my first attempt at creating final exams and accompanying study guide.

And this all leaves me a weekend to relax before going back to the work routine.  That will be the real test of my 2014 resolution.