Starting Now: Start #1: Gifts 871...

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Start #1: Gifts 871...

Joy Dare
Three Gifts Entwined

871. My fingers entwined in Andy's as we hold hands at night in bed.
872. My girls arms entwined in mine in many exuberant hugs each day as the moment strikes us all at different times.
873. The lives of those who come and go into my life at just the right times.

874. Reading Ann Voskamp's words that echo my own thoughts of how much can you really fit into a day, for what purpose is it all there, and making time for gratitude.

874. Day three in a row of meditation moments and twists in the morning in an effort to release anxiety and worry.

875. A full refrigerator.

876. A thoughtful coworker who just gifted me a box of scrap booking materials for the girls that she won't use anymore, her recycled issue of Real Simple issue that addresses use of time, budgeting, and as Andy so graciously pointed out to me last night that I missed - being more optimistic;), and a turkey sausage that her boyfriend refuses to eat.

877. Lunch with new, smiling ladies today.

878. Learning lessons from both of my girls today. From Lily - it is okay to give money to friends if that is what you choose to do based on the information you have at the time and it is what you feel in your heart you want/need to do. From Emmy - there is nothing wrong with asking for what you want/need, like asking your sister's first grade teacher during her conference if she has a lollipop you can have. I tried to "correct" both of them today, but in reflecting back on these moments, I see how beautiful they both really are and that I am the one who gets to learn.

879. Resilience - how easily we forgive each other in our household and how quickly we all move on.

880. Help and concern from immediate family.

881. Another great Daisy Girl Scout meeting tonight with Lily: picking up trash at a park; making necklaces out of rocks (repurposing), paper, paint and modge podge (wow, never used this stuff before - so fun!); collecting a donation for tweens at a shelter; singing, and; wishing a positive thought to each person in the circle to close the night.

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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!