Thursday June 10, 2010 was a simple wonderful, dare I say perfect day.
I was awakened before 5am with a gentle kiss and a "happy birthday" from Dan and promptly fell right back to sleep (as I do every morning).
The alarm went off a little before 7am so I could make my 7:30 yoga class. I got dressed, ate an apple and filled my water bottle. I got another "happy birthday" from our friend Jill who after a long tale of misfortunate was fortunate to spend the previous night in the warm coziness that is our home- laughing and talking with Dan and me until after midnight. I'm grateful to have had her company, and glad we could help her, even just a little.
Yoga class was phenomenal. I've only take a handful of classes in my life and I forget how much I enjoy it. I need the stretch, my body practically insists and yet I ignore it all too often.
The focus for this class was the Second Chakra, which amazingly, was perfect for me. The Second Chakra is located below the navel and rooted into the spine, is connected to the spleen and the digestive system and is often referred as the “sacral” chakra. It is the seat of our emotions, sensations, pleasure, movement and nurturance and it controls our relationships and social interactions with others. It governs our self-worth, confidence in our own creativity and ability to relate to others in an open and friendly way. The second chakra is the chakra of creativity, pure attention and pure knowledge. It is the one which connects us to the inner source of inspiration, and enables us to experience the beauty around us.
There was a lot of focus on the hips and shoulders, two of my most tender, tight spots. It helped to stretch and ease some pain. And as we lie in savasana at the end of class, the instructor gave us instructions on how to go forth with the day- "look for beauty everywhere you go.... do something creative today, even if it is just creatively organizing your sock drawer... be inspired and enjoy each moment."
I felt like she was speaking just to me.
I came home and ate some breakfast. A wheat/everything bagel with whipped cream cheese and CSA chives mixed in. Blueberries and strawberries on the side. I watched Regis and Kelly and let the relaxation continue a little before my shower.
I resisted the urge to stay away from work email for most of the day, but had to peek at my favorite morning indulgence- my "Daily Thought" from Real Simple Magazine. Another "you have to be kidding me, does the whole world know its my birthday?!?" moment. The quote for June 10: “There is no old age. There is, as there always was, just you. ” ― Carol MatthauI suppose the world is trying to tell me something :)
After some cleaning, a shower and some primping, I met Krissy, Willy and Aila for lunch. Well technically I met them in the parking lot of Bank of America so Kris could do a banking transaction solo (instead of +2), and she practically threw my present at me in the bank parking lot dying for me to open it! And I was just as thrilled as she was, once I got all that tissue paper out of the way. Its a filled-pancake pan from Williams & Sonoma and a container to put fresh whipped cream in so you can spray it out with little bursts of N2O that comes in these little chargers!! Oh, we're going to have some fun with this!! :) {Thanks again Kris! I love you}
We made our way to Strawberry Fair for lunch. The kids were both on their best behavior, alternatively being so cute, silly and entertaining and then quiet enough for Krissy and I to talk. At one point before the food came out, Willy (who was sitting next to me), reached over and gently put his left hand on my right thigh and said unprovoked "I love you." Oh I could eat that kid up! Aila ate more than all of us combined, but when she wasn't eating she was imitating everything going on. The waitress was a super sweet 50 something who adored the kids, and who loved talking with her hands. As soon as she walked away, Aila turned to the only other patron and started babbling, arms out, palms up just like the waitress had done! She picks things up quickly that little noodle.
I believe Willy took this shot. The lighting was wonky in there- he's actually usually very good at using my camera, despite the fact that he's not yet 3 years old...
And Kris was kind enough to take this. She took some others that were technically better shots, but I love this one.
We wrapped up lunch around 3p and made our way to the parking lot, the only cars left. I put Willy in his carseat and gave kisses and hugs to each of my lunch companions, thanking them again for a wonderful meal. I walked back to my car, got in and started driving towards the exit when I could see Willy yelling and motioning like crazy. I finally rolled down my window and stopped as I pulled up next to Kris' van to hear him saying "I need one more kiss!!!" How can you say no to that?! I got out, car still running, and walked over to the van, asking if we could manage this through the window (which didn't go all the way down). Um no, clearly that was not acceptable. Kris opened the door and I got one more big kiss. As I backed away, I thanked him and said 'I love you' like I always do and Willy's response was "I need a hug!" So we did a bonus hug too. And then he was satisfied. He blew me kisses as I drove away still yelling "bye" and "love you" as best as I could tell with his window back up! :) What a sweetie pie. He's going to make some woman very lucky some day.
I hooked up my ipod to my car stereo and continued to listen to Eat. Pray. Love. by Elizabeth Gilbert. I read this book shortly after it was released a few years ago and have been falling in love with it all over again this week. I'll admit this book is one of the main reasons I even thought to go to yoga this morning.
I also hooked up my GPS- destination: The Creative Stitch. I had a feeling it might be too late to try for a drop-in class to learn how to switch colors in my knitting, and I was right. But it was still fun to browse the store, and I took advantage of the free time to get in a little walking through the streets of downtown Hingham and all its cozy, unique shops. I even treated myself to an ice cream, which was far larger than I expected and I'm ashamed to say I had to toss out because I couldn't finish the whole thing!!
I had hoped to catch the Cohasset Weekly Farmers Market but it wasn't open. I'm not sure if its just too early or if it was the lousy weather, but with my audiobook keeping me company I didn't mind a few miles out of my way.
At home I listened to the end of my book. If you haven't read Eat. Pray. Love, I beg you to go buy it or borrow it right now. Here are a couple quick exerpts that really spoke to me:
"Stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone ought to be."
"People tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will descend like fine weather if you're fortunate. But happiness is the result of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it."
"Having a baby is like getting a tattoo on your face. You really need to be certain it's what you want before you commit."
"We search for happiness everywhere, but we are like Tolstoy's fabled beggar who spent his life sitting on a pot of gold, under him the whole time. Your treasure--your perfection--is within you already. But to claim it, you must leave the buy commotion of the mind and abandon the desires of the ego and enter into the silence of the heart."
"You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight."
"There is so much about my fate that I cannot control, but other things do fall under the jurisdiction. I can decide how I spend my time, whom I interact with, whom I share my body and life and money and energy with. I can select what I can read and eat and study. I can choose how I'm going to regard unfortunate circumstances in my life-whether I will see them as curses or opportunities. I can choose my words and the tone of voice in which I speak to others. And most of all, I can choose my thoughts."
"I thought about one of my favorite Sufi poems, which says that God long ago drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now. I was never not coming here. This was never not going to happen."
While I listened to the last CD of the audiobook, I finished my scarf! The first project I've ever completed for myself! Sort of lovely and ironic being that it was my birthday, and that was I specially assigned a creative task by the yoga teacher just that morning!
{insert picture here. i promise i will take one this week}
Dan came home as I was finishing my project. We chatted for awhile and flicked through the TV channels, finally settling on our library DVD rental- The Blind Side. Yet again, if you haven't seen this movie, go get it. Now. Do not pass GO! Do not collect $200! Its a great movie. Yes, I cried through most of it-- that poor kid broke my heart a million times, but its a great story and well told. Plus, the son SJ is a riot!!
It was a great way to end the day, snuggled up with my guy watching a fantastic movie.
Yes, I'm officially 30 years old. It sounds awful, like nails on a chalk board sometimes, but at the end of the day, I'm the same old me. I don't feel any different. It hasn't depressed me- something I'm glad I can say honestly.
I don't have everything figured out yet, nor do I think I should, but I'm happy with where I am in my life right now and I can honestly say I wouldn't change a thing.
"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. " - Ralph Waldo Emerson
