Starting Now: Start #1: Gifts 84...

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Start #1: Gifts 84...

84. A great idea on my way to work today that made me exercise my brain, inspired me, and has me anticipating my drive in tomorrow for more time to ponder, and hopefully brainstorm over the weekend.

85. Homemade tarragon potato salad at work today, Ina Garten recipe, Janet Otte chef.

86. Lily's phrase in the backseat on the way home from school today. She told me she got a new book at the school library called Zen Shorts. The book is a children's collections of short stories about a Panda named Still Water; the artwork is all watercolors. Lily said, "It's Chinese Mom, so I thought that would be really calming." I asked Lily if she read the book already. She replied, "No, not yet, but I'm going to do some picture walking right now." I laughed softly to myself as I heard the pages start to turn. "I love that you just said that Lily!" I told her as I drove with a huge smile on my face. Can't wait to read that book with her.

When a giant panda moves into Michael, Addy, and Karl's neighborhood, he tells them the most amazing Zen stories that abound with enlightenment and love. John J Muth contributes vibrant watercolors and elegant ink drawings for this Caldecott Honor Book.

87. Early bedtime for the girls so I was still able to squeeze in a walk with Molly, an hour of work to make up for the hour I left early today, an early blog post, and early to bed. Looks like the word of the day is Early, and I am grateful for feeling like I was given extra hours in a day.

1 comment:

JoyfulEatsNovember 10, 2011 at 9:52 AM
can't wait to read this book with my own yogis in training. Think of the perspectives Lily has already. makes me smile.
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Welcome to Starting Now

Starting Now, I am starting to finish. Always prolific in my starts, I give birth to many ideas that flutter like a baby bird leaving the nest for the first time. In what feels to be the thick of my life (see "About Me"), there is no better time than now to take flight, to make my finishes as abundant as my starts. I no longer have limitless time or desire to clean up the mental and physical chaos created by starting many things and not fnishing one.

It is my hope that in starting now (for there is only now) and starting here on the page, that I will reach through the initial excitement of a thought, a project, a relationship just beginning, etc.... I will abandon my fear of yet another fallen start, sorrow heavy on my mind and in my heart to instead, give strong wings to my start, life to my lungs, and clarity to my psyche as I soar from one project to the next.

A bit lofty, I realize, but in starting this blog, I am creating accountabilty for myself to show up at the page every day. To show up is to write every day. Create. Improve every day. Learn. Hone the idea, thought, project, progress every day. Grow. And perhaps, learn from others who care to share their ideas on starts and finishes, as together, we spur a community of finishers able to relish in the life and gift - to ourselves and those we share our lives and gifts with - of what we finished, and what we start anew, again, now.

The idea is that as I embark on a start, I will track it here to its finish. Add thoughts if you like, or share your own starts, what you learn along the way, ideas for improvement and efficiency, how you enjoy the journey. For I realize that life is not simply about finishing, but the journey along the way. Yet, I am learning that to finish (something, anything, if even just for today it is folding the laundy and putting it away), boosts my confidence and becomes the catalyst for the birth and life of another start. Another contribution to our beautiful world.

My Life

Mother to Lily and Emmy, two young girls alike only in their adoring, interesting, active, sensitive, loving, creative ways; wife to Andy who has an uncanny resemblance of characteristics to the ways of our girls and who is a recovering (at least that is my wish!) non-finisher like me; caretaker of our human-like Irish red and white setter named Molly, and;

Breathe, ahhhh

Active participant in our lives filled with work, school, deadlines I struggle to meet, homework, cooking, appointments, relationships, laughter, sometimes screaming (we’re all working on that), play, bills, travel, gymnastics, walks with the dog, reading, managing technology and schedules, exercising our independence and learning to work together (and the balance of the two), trying to make healthy choices, and, did I forget anything?

Yes! In honor of my first start, breathing fully (I often forget to do this) and practicing gratitude. Thank you breath, for you give me life!