Category Archives: Inspiration

Wherever You Are, Be All There

13th March 2014

Confession: it’s been quite some time since I’ve been back on the blogging train. I have quite a few things to catch up on over here, as even though the stories have been told, they have yet to be written. From an engagement to buying a new car (not by choice), planning a wedding and welcoming a new kitten into the family…we’ve had quite the busy end of 2013/beginning of 2014.

In the mantra of starting fresh, I felt it was best to dive back in through Lent. The Lenten season has always held a special place in my heart, not only does it bring with it the return of Peeps, but with it also a sense of community and renewal – in both the spiritual and physical definitions.

Each year, I try my best to give up at least one thing I could do without for forty days and add one thing that I could use more of beyond that. As I’ve had some pretty big life changes in the last six months (i.e. saying goodbye to living with one of my best friends and moving in with a boy) it feels like a more appropriate time than ever to adopt a phrase I’ve grown to love over the last year or so.

I’m not quite sure where I first heard that one, but it’s stuck in my mind for quite some time. I’m definitely guilty of Pinteresting while watching a movie, answering emails while in a meeting or scrolling through an Instagram feed while waiting on the elevator. While some of those distractions also double as enjoyment (who doesn’t love a great wedding Pinterest board) they can also very easily take away from the most precious moments of our days.

Living with a significant other, I’ve certainly become much more aware of my habits – one of those being making sure the time we get to spend together on the week nights is as meaningful as possible. With packed personal schedules, even sitting at a quiet dinner table or watching Modern Family together sans distraction is the “be all there” moment that I can put within reach.

The little moments can quickly become big moments, if only we take the time to pause and enjoy them. With little reminders each day, I hope this is a Lenten practice that will carry on far beyond the last marshmallow Peep.

#cancercantdobackflips

16th September 2013

It is with a heavy heart I try to wrap my head around news I received today. At 25, I expect to hear about weddings, babies or promotions. But today, I heard of a former cheerleading teammate who is now battling cancer.

At 25, cancer should never enter our realm of thought. I’ve lost three of my four grandparents to this awful disease, watched as friends’ parents have fought, survived and lost battles and celebrated with others who have become stronger than ever.

I came home today, looked through countless photos and did the only thing I knew would clear my mind and bring it back to a positive place. I went for a run. Our bodies are born to do amazing things. To carry us for miles across pavement, to do triple toe backs and to fight. We are born to stand up to disease, trust in our faith and know that it will all be OK.

Katie is one of the most energetic, caring and positive people I know. She has quite literally held me in the air; shown me what confidence and kindness look like, whether that be after taking first place or fighting back from last; and now she has quite the cheerleading team by her side.

If today teaches anything, it’s that there are a heck of a group of people out there fighting for the exact same joy.

#cancercantdobackflips

You’ve got this girl.

Have a Little Faith

8th July 2013

At the end of the day faith is a funny thing. It turns up when you don’t really expect it. It’s like one day you realize that the fairy tale may be slightly different than you dreamed. The castle, well, it may not be a castle. And it’s not so important happy ever after, just that its happy right now. See once in a while, once in a blue moon, people will surprise you , and once in a while people may even take your breath away.

The ever so wise words of Dr. Meredith Grey, that Shonda Rhimes sure is on to something here. Faith really is a funny little thing. It may be in God, in Buddah, in your parents, in some unknown being in the sky, but one thing remains true: if you want to make it through the rainy days, you better have a little Faith in someone or something that is bigger than yourself.

Faith is the confidence to trust that it will all work out and that the plan for tomorrow is beyond your own control. It’s the fact that although it rained the past five days, and we thought we might go mildly insane from a lack of outdoorsy-ness, we survive. And then this shows up (well the sky, of course).

Could there possibly be a sweeter reminder? Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the details of the day-to-day, or worse still let the details dictate the day. There will always be bad meetings, searching for the perfect place to call home that takes too long, coworkers and family members that drive you batty, but it’s reminding ourselves that those details all come together to write the most perfect endings that counts.

So OK, Big Guy, you win. I suppose you do know why we all need a little rain, a little rest and a little cotton candy in the sky to bring it all back into perspective.