Category Archives: Mindfulness

Growth Mindset, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Mindfulness, Persistence, Social Emotional Learning

How a Box of Rocks Made Me Smarter—and Calmer

April 18, 2021 Catherine Matthews 1 Comment

When we were at the beach, I noticed a stack of rocks on an old log. I have seen towers like these before, but I never really thought about them beyond noticing the inexplicably calming sense that I get from staring at them. I find rock formations, natural or manmade, relaxing. I must not be the only one because, on the road out of Dingle, there was an Irish farmer who was charging to photograph the cairns on his property. I happily paid and I was not the only one.

In the space I had at the ocean over break, without the tether of my cell phones, laptop, or iPad, it occurred me that there must be something deeper than casual boredom turned art happening here. Clearly stacking rocks is an echo of some vestigial gene we are carrying around, like the one that makes an appendix. It is the gene that spurned Stonehenge, Easter Island, and the Inukshuk. It goes beyond the pedestrian pursuits of creating buildings or carving historical monuments. It is much more visceral than that.

Though out of character for me, I decided to forego the research phase this time. OK, the truth is that I started the research phase and learned many reasons why you should not stack rocks in nature. Google it before you create your next granite tower. Though the biologist in me had a pang or two of guilt, I was still too curious to stop. Instead, I turned inward and did a little self-excavation. I got some rocks from my front yard and I created a rock sculpture garden on my desk. For a week, I have been alternately toppling over and restacking rocks. While I still have no clue what draws me to do it, I am learning so much from the act.

My Stone Stress Seismograph

There are different levels of stress. The more stress I have, the more desensitized I get to it. As a result, I accept a baseline of stress as normal. I may even see this baseline as not being stressed at all. Five towers of precariously stacked rocks next to my keyboard act like a mood seismograph. I cannot pretend when the evidence is toppling over in front of my eyes. When I get stressed and intense, I pound my keyboard and crash around my desk. There is a point at which the hammering knocks the stones over. Instead of letting that cause more stress, I am leaning into it. In the last week, I have learned to take a breath and figure out what I am feeling in the moment. What is causing me to pound the keyboard. The more awareness I bring to my feelings, the more sensitive I become to small shifts in my stone seismograph.

Wisdom of Intuition

Stacking rocks takes a completely blank mind. It is an act of intuition. I really can think of nothing else in that moment. There is a place of balance for each stone. If I am thinking about an upcoming meeting, I will not be able to sense where that spot of perfect balance is. I cannot reason the stone into place. I cannot calculate the stone into place. I must feel the stones. In the absence of the running dialog and strategic thinking, the placement of the stones is clear.

More Than One Path

When a tower topples, I have the inclination to remember exactly how it was and how I did it the last time. As if that were not only the perfect way but the right way. Routines, though tedious, are also efficient and effective strategies for many things. However, in rock stacking, recreating is pointless. Accepting that the new formation will be satisfying allows for the possibility that it will be much more than that.

Persistence Point

There is always a way to stack a stone and being frustrated makes it much harder to find the way. I have found that the more frustrated I get with trying to “get it exactly right” prevents me from reaching that wordless place where my actions are guided by intuition and sensation rather than judgment and expectation, perceived or actual. In that place of silence, new ways to stack the stones appear that meet the goal.

Creativity Jumpstart

A state of wordlessness makes a space for creativity. I cannot write when my head is filled with noise. Reaching that wordless place where my attention is focused on finding the sweet spot on a misshapen stone opens a door to a place filled with connections, new ideas, and beautiful words.

So, it turns out a box of rocks made me smarter and calmer this week. Give it a try. Stack some rocks. Rake some sand. Meditate. Do yoga. Stare at a sunrise. You might learn something about yourself.

Change, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Mindfulness, Relationships, Social Emotional Learning

It’s Never About The Furniture

March 27, 2021 Catherine Matthews 10 Comments

Some time ago, dear friends of mine retired and moved from Washington to Texas. I am terrible at goodbyes. That should be evident by the fact that this blog has been sitting half-written for nearly a year. I had intended to write it the morning after their going away party. I started to, but the words got stuck in my heart on the way to my head and so my fingertips just sat on the keyboard, wordless. I still miss them – my friends, not my words. I think that the sheer volume of transitions over the last year have sort of dislodged the blockage in my heart, though. My head is full, and my fingertips are ready.

Their going away party was a small affair of our closest friends. With more than a decade of shared celebrations and sorrows, we are very open and comfortable. So, it was not a surprise when they had a spirited marital debate on the disposition of an old desk that had, apparently, not made it onto the truck yet. I can’t recall who wanted to summarily dispose of the desk and who wanted to drag it half-way across the country. Therefore, I won’t choose sides. (However, to be completely transparent, I tend to root for my own team out of general loyalty to the sisterhood.) At any rate, the desk discussion billowed up like a cumulus cloud soaring off the Sound and hitting the Cascades. The marital debate began to look like a storm. To prevent the drops from turning into a flood, someone, possibly me, pointed out that it wasn’t about the desk. I should mention that these are two of the most loving, nurturing people I know. As a couple, they are the gold standard in relationships. They share a beautiful love that touches everyone they meet. Let’s be honest, though, moving could cause even Mother Theresa or Gandhi to consider abandoning their commitments to peace and love. Goodbyes are stressful. Transitions are nerve-racking. And it is never about the furniture.

So, what is it that would cause us to dig our heels in and risk relationships to protect our pride? It is about what we cannot face. It is about our feelings—deep, irrational, inexplicable, often contradictory, feelings. It is about what we cannot communicate because the truth is lodged in our hearts. But it is never about the furniture.

More than ever, this last year has been a seemingly endless stream of endings and beginnings. From outright changes to minor pivots, we have transitioned hundreds of times from what we have always done to what we are able to do now or what we must do now. It feels like none of that is what we want to do, though. To me, all of these changes are tiny goodbyes. Not all are bad. Some I even take in stride, avoiding suffering through the acceptance of what is and cannot be changed. Other things are like wearing someone else’s clothing. I am grateful that I have something to wear, but it doesn’t fit quite right. I feel awkward and annoyed. Wearing a mask fits in this category.

There are also small things that throw me off my game completely— my ‘desks’. They cause me inwardly (and outwardly if I know that you love me and will forgive my ridiculousness) to pitch a fit like a three-year-old. Take last night, I realized that I left my second Hydroflask at work. Yes. The second one. I now have two sitting on my desk. It is the weekend. I like to drink water from my Hydroflask when I workout. I was mentally pitching a fit (because not even someone who loves me should have to put up with that ridiculousness). The truth is, though, it’s not really about the Hydroflask. I have many, many water bottles. It’s not about the water bottle. Forgetting the water bottle is about feeling always a little off balance these days. Despite having years on the job, it is about feeling a little less competent in this new environment where I have to consider things I have never had to consider before— masks; social distancing; temperature checks; two stage clustered, stratified random sampling (don’t ask). I can handle all of that. I don’t want to have to handle all that. It is missing my team and kids, and communicating in all 3 dimensions. It is wondering how this has changed us all and what those changes mean for the future. It is not about a water bottle.

So, if you are like me, and you find yourself reacting passionately or actually pitching a fit, give yourself some grace. Ask yourself if it is really about the object or situation before you. If it is not, try to unblock your heart so that your feelings can reach your mind and mouth. Start a journal. Share your feelings with someone who loves you and will forgive any ridiculousness just because it is not ridiculous to you. Keeping those feelings bottled up and unexamined won’t make them go away. We are all in this together. It is never about the furniture.

Change, Dogs, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Mindfulness

The Truth – In Comparison

May 15, 2020 Catherine Matthews 12 Comments

We got a puppy a couple of weeks ago. The stars aligned, and we welcomed Delta, a brindle boxer, into our home. We had been planning it for some time. Buttercup missed having someone to play with since we lost her older brother, Buddy. The humans missed having a puppy to cuddle (and completely blocked out the joys of potty training).

Buttercup is the sweetest pup. And that is how I have always seen her: as a pup. But she is not a pup. She is 4 years old, which is middle aged for a Boxer. Still, she was playful and cuddly like a puppy. She still is. The weirdest thing happened, though, when we brought home Delta. As soon as we set Delta next to her on the floor, Buttercup grew into this brawny, muscled, big dog. It was like watching Bruce Banner turn into the Hulk (but without all the anger and not green). Suddenly, Buttercup looked like a dog. All the puppy just disappeared.

I realized that I had been seeing Buttercup as things were. She was still the puppy who played with our big dog. Even when we lost him, she stayed a puppy in my mind. That is until we had someone to compare her to. Enter Delta. Next to Delta, Buttercup appears full grown. The fact is that she has been full grown for a long time.

Buttercup acts like a mature dog. She quickly took on the role as leader of the pack schooling the little girl. Though they play constantly, Buttercup is putting on a show. She knows Delta is a little puppy with an oversized image of her own might. Just like Buddy did for her when she was a pup, Buttercup lets Delta nip and bite, but only pretends to do that herself. Buttercup knows she’s the adult.

This made me realize how we think we see something or someone so clearly, when the reality is that we see things and people through our memories and through comparisons. Maybe we can’t see something clearly until we have that comparison. Could we know what tears of joy are without experiencing tears of pain? Could we know loneliness without feeling kinship? Could we understand safety without experiencing fear? And so, it was with Buttercup. With nothing to compare her to, Buttercup remained a playful puppy in my eyes. Compared to a wiggly, twelve-pounder with twice as much skin as she needs, Buttercup became a musclebound sentinel.

This has been a season of comparisons revealing what is true, starting with the pace of life. I used to see life as a bit of a tornado that I would get swept up in. That was until I was forced to stay home for 8 weeks straight. I can see that there are a lot of things I chose to do, but always thought I had to do. In fact, once I surrendered and accepted this situation, I let go of so many busy things I did. I can’t even remember what they all were. They must have required a lot of gasoline, though. I also remembered what meaningful feels like. I knew meaningful before this. But if you are spinning in a tornado, it’s hard to distinguish between the things that are just racing by you that you should let pass, and the things that are racing by that you should reach out with all of your might and hold onto like your very life depends on it.

It sounds dramatic but the truth is that these are the tiniest moments in life. Maybe that is why we cannot see that they are so meaningful without a comparison. Like sitting on the back patio, drinking coffee and talking to my husband as we watch Canine Etiquette 101 and Tug o’ War 201. Or really checking in with my team to make sure that they are not too overwhelmed with managing school and work from home. Laughing with girlfriends over Zoom as we have our monthly dinner party.

What I can and cannot do right now has illuminated what I value. It has slowed the tornado to a brisk breeze, allowing those heavy things that plague my To Do List to fall to the ground, and allowing me to hug the things that lift my spirit. It has separated the boredom remedies from the soul feeders. As things pick up again, I hope that I will examine each thing I add back in and try to see it for what it truly is. I am guessing there are a few things that I have not been able to do in the last 8 weeks, that I will chose not to do in the future. I will hold them up in comparison. I will replace them with the things that matter more.

What will you let go of? What will you hold onto?

Gratitude, Inspiration, Leadership, Life Lessons, Mindfulness, Photography, Social Emotional Learning

The Appreciation Equation (You might want to sit down. Turns out, it’s exponential.)

October 5, 2019 Catherine Matthews 12 Comments

Thursday night I got the game ball. It felt so great! In my dubious athletic career, I never got the game ball. I have thrown a game ball. I have caught a game ball- once, in the back of the head. I have dribbled a game ball, shot a game ball, even caught a game ball (once, right in the nose). As a coach, I have even given the game ball. I have never been given the game ball, until last Thursday night. I was given it in appreciation of my work which is about as far from athletic as you can get: data analysis, assessment and research. I felt truly honored to be recognized for my work. Of course, the first thing I did was send a picture of the ball to my husband and daughter who are my biggest cheerleaders.

My sly cell phone pic of the game ball for my family.

They were so excited for me. Then I remembered the 14 letters my daughter gave me for my birthday! I remembered that one was entitled “Open when you are a data badass”. If there was ever a good reason to open that letter, this was it. I could not wait to get home to read it. Well, I can tell you that I was definitely feeling that letter. Here is what it said (used with permission of the author):

“So, I don’t know when you’ll be reading this, but I can almost guarantee that I’ve already called you and asked you how to use Excel or had some number-y struggle at school. Not only are you a data badass at work but it turns out you’re a data badass at my university too:). It has always made me laugh and smile the way you get so excited about data at your work. I hope whatever you did today to be a data badass made you excited, and even made the Superintendent tell you that you’re a Rockstar! Give me a call and tell me about your data badass-ness today!”

My first thought was “I think my kid might be psychic.” Then, I just took a moment to soaked that letter up. It made me feel very special. She knows I love my work. Clearly, she shares my joy when I come bouncing home with some great story about analyzing data. I have about the nerdiest job that there is, and she gets just as excited as I do, not because she cares about data, because she knows and cares about me. She appreciates me- especially when I help with her “number-y struggles”.

Train your people so well that they could work anywhere.

Treat your people so well that they won’t want to.

-Branson

I started to wonder why appreciation or gratitude can evoke such powerful emotions. Of course, that led to research. This will not be a surprise to anyone who knows me. I came upon The Science of Gratitude by Summer Allen (University of California Berkley, May 2018). I learned that I am not the only person wondering how gratitude benefits people, and why both giving and receiving it feels so great. There is now a field of gratitude research which, though in its infancy, gave Dr. Allen fodder for 72 compelling pages on the subject. (I should note that there is some debate on the relationship between appreciation and gratitude in the research. I am lumping them together as more research is needed.) In addition to citing studies of improved health outcomes for people who practice gratitude, I was struck by research that suggested “practicing gratitude changes the brain in a way that orients people to feel more rewarded when other people benefit (Summers, p. 17).” Gratitude begets altruism. Think about that. Expressing gratitude makes you feel better in and of itself, and it makes you feel even better when you do something that benefits someone else. It is like an avalanche of gratitude. It’s an exponential equation. I express gratitude. I feel great. I do something nice for someone else as a result. I feel even better, and the person I help feels appreciated. So, they feel gratitude. If they do something nice for someone else, they will feel great! It will be completely out of control. People will be grateful for other people with no expectation of reward, and yet, they will feel rewarded.

Have an attitude of gratitude.

-Hinckley

What if we intentionally practiced gratitude? What if we intentionally taught our children to practice gratitude? Practicing the skill of identifying the people and things we are grateful for, and then acting on that gratitude, has lasting positive physical and emotional effects individually and collectively. I am sure of it. The research backs it up.

I propose an experiment that I am going to call Passing the Game Ball. I would like you to join me in it and then share your experience by leaving a comment.

For one week, make a list every day of at least 5 things you are grateful for.
Each day, express your gratitude directly to one person you come in contact with. Look them in the eye, give them a smile, and say it loud and proud: “You deserve the game ball! Thanks for…..” (Or write a personal note if that is more your style.)
See if expressing gratitude for someone else feels just as great as receiving gratitude.
See if expressing gratitude makes you want to do it more.

I bet we could start an avalanche! I’ll start. I am so grateful for all of the people who read my blog and take the time to share their experiences and perspectives. You have enriched my life.

Children, Family, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Mindfulness, Parenting

Living in the Moment

July 13, 2019 Catherine Matthews 4 Comments

I was awakened at 2:51 AM yesterday morning by the unmistakable rumble of an earthquake. It was a relatively small one, 4.7, but it shook me awake. My daughter shouted from the other room. I realize I have failed her in the Emergency Preparedness training department because she immediately ran to my room and jumped in bed with me. It only lasted a few moments and, in my 54 years, I have experienced many of these tremors living in the Pacific Northwest. I probably should have run for a doorway. But my lack of good sense is not the topic of this story so I will let that go for now. Buttercup the Boxer Pup apparently knew it was coming because she was already hunkered down by the time the quake jolted us awake (apparently it is every dog for herself in an earthquake). We lay there snuggled together. Buttercup and my daughter were very distressed by the whole thing. Buttercup was panting uncontrollably. My daughter was furiously Googling earthquakes which of course brought images and statistics of the worst-case scenarios. Not helpful. Don’t misunderstand me, emergency preparedness is very important. In the end, that is all that you can do- prepare. When Mother Nature tries to wipe the planet clean or the earth tries to shake us off, we are powerless to stop it. We can prepare but we cannot prevent most natural disasters. I hate that. Literally. I hate it. I hate that something bad could happen that is completely beyond my control. I hate that I can prepare and practice and do all the right things, and still an earthquake (tornado, illness, freak accident, hurricane….) could change everything. I am a planner. I am always thinking about the long game. I believe what we do today makes a difference in our tomorrows. I do believe all of that is true. It is also true that we live in the present moment. It is also true that we cannot control the millions of things that might happen in the next moment. So, the present moment matters.

That is what occurred to me as I was snuggled in close to my daughter and our pup. This present moment matters. It matters to let her talk it out. It matters to give comfort and reassurance. It matters to listen. While we were laying there waiting for the aftershocks, I was reminded of one of my favorite moments from her childhood. When she was very little, just out of a crib and into a big girl bed, she would listen for her dad to get in the shower in the morning. Quiet as a little mouse, she would pad across the hall and slide into bed next to me. She would snuggle in close and fall asleep with her warm cheek on my shoulder and her tiny hand on my arm. In the morning, she would have a dreamy look as I would get out of bed to get ready for work. Invariably the pups would jump in bed with her as soon as I left, soaking up the warmth I left behind. As I did my hair and makeup, she would chatter away telling me everything that was on her mind. I can feel the smile now, just thinking about it, that I had hearing her describe her adventures and discoveries. A moment. A string of moments. That is all that life is – a string of moments. Each one a gift. Not all of them are good. Most we cannot control. We should not miss a single one of them. I thought that morning: I should get up and check the house for damage; I should call my husband (I did); I should do something. Then I realized I was doing something. I was having a very special moment with a very special person. A moment I was never getting back. And so, I laid there awake for a couple of hours – in the moment.

I selected this picture because it reminded me that when she was little, the best moments were the simplest ones. Just holding her, in my arms, heart and mind, while she slept seemed like the most important thing in the moment. It still is.

Inspiration, Life Lessons, Life Long Learning, Mindfulness, Social Emotional Learning

The downfalls of multi-tasking – or, as my Daddy would say, “Half-assing”

January 18, 2019 Catherine Matthews 11 Comments

This morning I PR’ed (Personal Record) on the Erg, or as I like to call it the “Magical Sliding Instrument of Pain”. I rowed 5881 meters in 30 minutes and my split broke the dreaded 2:30 by just seconds. Now, for all you flat-abbed, bicep-bulging, custom-calved whippersnappers out there chuckling at my sub-sub-sub-lightning speed, keep in mind I am 53 years old and 40% of my spine is being held together by 3 V-clips and a dead guys bone putty (God rest your soul and I thank you, sincerely). I have had terrible workouts for the last two weeks. I was embarrassed to hit save on my times, though I am the only one who ever checks the memory. At first, I blamed it on my Christmas holiday nose dive into chocolate in all of its wonderful symphony of forms. Then I blamed it on distraction as my mind has been preoccupied by a very exciting data visualization I am developing. For those of you who fell asleep in the middle of that sentence, yes- I said exciting, dare I say, thrilling data visualization. Trust me. It is revolutionary. I expect oohs and aahs commensurate with the Rockets’ Red Glare finale on the Fourth of July on Lake Union when I finish. But I digress. Then I blamed it on stress. There are many changes happening at home and at work. Finally, I blamed it on the block I have been having on a piece I am writing. But then this morning, as I was hammering out the meters to rousing beats of Ugly Lights, Gone and Restless, in the shadow of Mount Rainier on the glassy surface of Lake Washington (OK that part was in my imagination. I was in the spare bedroom.), I realized that I wasn’t plugged into an audiobook. I wasn’t taking advantage of this extra 30 minutes in my life to listen to a book and learn, or think about why the data wasn’t aggregating correctly, or prioritize the top 10 things I had to get done today. I was just rowing. Empty-headed. Focused on nothing more that my breath, the pull of my arms on the bar, the force of my legs against the footrest, the slide of seat. I was flying and my head was empty. That is a blissful thing for someone like me who is always thinking. That thirty minutes to be solely, viscerally engaged is indescribable. It is a hard reset, refreshing and cleansing.

Somewhere along the line, I bought the whole “multi-tasking” snake oil. I even tried to do it for a very long time, decades really. I convinced myself that I could do it. The truth is that I could get a lot done but none of it was really my best work. My best work came when I was focused on doing one task very well. Ironically, it was also more efficient. It turns out, according to Earl Miller of MIT, that when we try to multi-task, we are really just shifting back and forth between each task (http://fortune.com/2016/12/07/why-you-shouldnt-multitask/ ). Starting and stopping does not allow us to think deeply or creatively. It feels like we are doing two things at once because often the two things we are trying to do are using the same parts of our brain like talking and emailing. So, the switching back and forth seems fluid. It seems like we are doing them at the same time. Yet, we are, in fact, starting and stopping repeatedly. If you have ever tried to listen to a recording in a series of segments, you know that you have to back the recording up to remember where you were and what was being said every time you restart it. It is hard to follow a recording in stops and starts. Your brain does that too as you shift between tasks. So, there I was, to my amazement, on track to break 5900 meters when I started calculating in my head how many meters that would be in 5 minutes. You wouldn’t think doing division in my head would effect the motions of my arms and legs, but that is exactly what happened. As I turned my focus from my breath and body to my beloved math, my rate dropped precipitously. (I should make a graph of that. It would be a work of art. I would call it, “The Inverse Relationship Between Rowing Pace and Math Computational Practice”.) So it wasn’t stress or chocolate that was to blame for my substandard times these past two weeks. It was distraction. Trying to learn from an audiobook or make a list for my day, shifted my focus and, since working out and critical thinking aren’t related, the shift was anything but seamless. Shifting my focus back to my breath and the workout changed everything. As a bonus, it turns out that the reset I got from unplugging for that 30 minutes not only resulted in a Personal Record but it had an amazing impact on my day. I solved a complex problem I have been working on and created something I am truly proud of. Brain science was in its infancy, possibly even pre-natal, in my youth. Apparently though, my dad knew something instinctively that Earl Miller has since scientifically validated. My dad was a little less scientific and a little more poetic. Whether you call it multi-tasking or half-assing, you’re better off if you do one thing at a time and give it your full and undivided attention.

If I hadn’t done that one math problem, I could have broke 5900 meters. There is always tomorrow…

Change, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Life Long Learning, Mindfulness, Relationships

Make a Habit of It

January 6, 2019 Catherine Matthews 9 Comments

It’s 4:15 AM and my REM-induced travels are abruptly ended by my clock radio blaring Miranda Lambert. In silence, I get up, get dressed, and brush my teeth. In the workout room, I turn on the fan and put my bike shoes on. I spend 30 minutes on the bike, change shoes and put in 30 minutes on the Erg. I turn off the fan, turn out the lights in the work out room, and shut the door so that Buttercup does not eat any more of my gear. She is a young Boxer with a wicked addiction to Blistex. In the kitchen, I make a smoothie and drink it while checking my emails. I take a shower, put on my makeup and get dressed. I load up the Jeep, open the garage door, turn the Jeep on, back out and go to work. I do this every weekday. Mostly with unconscious precision. Oh sure, I have occasionally shown up for work in dark navy heels when I should have worn black but that is more an aging eyesight issue than an attention issue. I have never, for example, backed out before opening the garage door. The fact is that all of that is habit. I do it mostly without thinking, in the right order, and with nearly 100% accuracy. It is a habit set in a specific context. I am home. It is morning. It is a weekday. I don’t have to think about it all which is fortunate. Imagine how big our heads would have to be if we had to consciously think about every single thing we do, every time we do it. If every time we put our keys in the car, we had to remember how to drive or think about how to get to work, our noggins would have to be enormous to hold all those neurons. Most of what we do is routine and habitual. If you don’t believe me, think about what you did yesterday. Try to remember the details of what you did. I am not talking about the memorable events like a conversation with a friend. I am talking about the thousands of things you filtered out as routine and unimportant as you drove through life. Just the other day, my daughter drove us somewhere that I would usually drive to. I could not believe what I had missed on that trip I make hundreds of times. There was literally a huge new building on a corner that I had driven by repeatedly without notice. Missing a building is probably not a huge concern, but I know I miss other things being on autopilot. I know because I have an 18-year-old conscience living with me. When I ask her a question that she already answered when I was not fully present, she lets me know, “I literally told you this like 3 minutes ago.” Cue cringe and apology.

The truth is that not all habits are bad. They save us time. Driving to work would take forever if I had to think about every little action it takes to get there. Red light means stop. I should stop. How do I do that again? Foot on the brake and clutch. Is it the right foot brake or left foot to brake? Habits save us from needing that enormous head of neurons I mentioned before. Habits leave room for things we think are more important. If I don’t have to think about rotating my leg on the bike, I can mentally compose my blog for example. However, not being fully present, and therefore missing my life as it is actually happening right now, is a drawback to practicing habits. In addition, many habits are actually unhealthy, harmful, or simply unwanted, as Hugh Byrne points out in The Here-and-Now Habit. Though even the negative habits develop out of a positive intention, they are nonetheless harmful. Smoking, for example, is often used as an attempt to combat anxiety and overeating is often used to provide a sense of comfort. Some people use alcohol and drugs to numb themselves to emotional or psychological pain. Gambling gives some people a thrilling rush of adrenalin. Unfortunately, those habits must be continually fed and, worse, they are often followed by painful consequences. These are the extremes, of course, and the hardest to change.

But everyone has some habit that is interfering with living life to its fullest. Maybe social media has become a distraction that keeps you from being fully present with family and friends or prevents you from accomplishing other goals. Maybe you want to be more active, but you just cannot stop watching Criminal Minds (not judging just noticing here). Maybe you want to make healthy food choices. That has been a goal of mine. I have a sweet tooth of epic proportion. I had been doing very well making good choices until the Christmas holiday came along. It started with a small piece of apple pie on Christmas Eve with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream. I thought I could handle it. I mean it was made with apple. That is a fruit after all. And apparently, vanilla is a bean. Just saying. But alas, no. That apple pie was my gateway sweet and it led directly to chocolate. Before I knew it, I was at a Starbucks, wild-eyed and thirsting for a mocha, extra hot with whipped. It wasn’t pretty. The rest is just too horrible to mention. Suffice it to say peppermint and ginger were involved. I am not proud. It reminded me of this guy I used to work with. Whenever something intense would happen at work, he would start patting all of his pockets. Then he would stop talking and I could tell he was having this conversation in his head, “Where did I leave my cigarettes? Pants? Shirt? Car? Damn it! I quit smoking. Why did I quit smoking?” He had quit at least 10 years before. Any kind of conflict left him searching for a lighter. I get the inclination. I made a habit of mindlessly eating chocolate and all of its confectionery cousins. I was pretty annoyed to find myself caught in its seductive web yet again. As I was reading The Here-and-Now Habit by Hugh Byrne, I realized that sheer willpower and intention are not enough to overcome a habit. Eating sweets is a habit that I slipped back into without really thinking about it. Unlike driving my car or getting ready for work in the morning, it is a habit that I want to change and the only way that is going to happen is by bringing awareness and attention to it. I don’t want to think about which foot to use to brake the Jeep. I need to think about what I am doing when I am wandering past that bowl of truffles. I can get the same feeling of well being and pleasure from the endorphins I get cycling as I get from the dopamine eating sweets. When it is all said and done, I feel like cheering after a great workout, not so much after a truffle. The insidious thing about harmful or unwelcome habits it that they can happen without our conscious intention. Repeated actions in a similar context is all they need to burrow into our minds and bodies. The amazing thing is that we can develop positive habits that help us to live life to its fullest. All you need is awareness, attention and intention. In other words, be present. It is what gets me up at 4:15 every morning.

What habits are holding you back?

More importantly, what habits would make your life better?

I chose this photography of my New Year’s Day bike ride with my best friend because it reminds me of how much better cycling is than chocolate especially when you get to do it outdoors with your best friend.

Change, Children, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Mindfulness, Parenting

Endings and Beginnings

December 30, 2018 Catherine Matthews 8 Comments

I do not like endings. I do not like finales. It is probably why I don’t watch the Oscars or stay awake until the last votes are counted on election night. I much prefer those hours and days before the endings, days that are thick with anticipation and ripening possibilities. Even as a kid, I savored the days leading up to Christmas or my birthday, waiting and wondering like Schrödinger with his cat. I didn’t peak or shake any boxes. I knew that when the actual day came, and the gifts were opened, it would all be over. It isn’t even about gifts really. I never liked the last day of school or the finish line in a race or the last page of a good book. All of those signal the end and knowing how it is going to turn out. Sure, the end was always followed by something new, but I grieved those fleeting moments slipping into my history. After a year of planning for a wedding, in one day it was all over. Though that ending was the beginning of decades of adventures in marriage, I am never going to have those precious moments again. In our checklist world, our accomplishment accumulation culture, it is tempting to be so focused on the end that we forget to enjoy the journey. We forget to savor each of the singular, irreplaceable moments that happen on the way to the end.

New Year’s Eve always hits me as one of the biggest of endings – the end of an entire year. On December 31^st, I know how it turned out. Though it is followed by New Year’s Day and the chance to get on the roller coaster again, I am sad to see the year end. Frankly, none more than this year. As the countdown begins and the ball starts to drop in Times Square, it will herald in a year that will surely have more endings and beginnings than most. In the coming year, our only daughter will graduate. In the fall, we will help her pack and drive her across the mountains where she will go to college. As with any child, she has been the center of our world for 18 years. In that time, I am not proud to say, there were a few moments I wished away. Carrying a diaper bag comes to mind. I know I wished life would fast forward through potty training. At the time, I happily would have skipped teaching her second-grade math the year she went into the Highly Capable program. I remember praying for an end to the “no” years. Now, as she talks about decorating her dorm room and finding a compatible roommate, I am remembering each of those moments as the gift that they were – the giggles and the worries, the hugs and the tears, the medals and the bruises. At the risk of sounding maudlin, the truth is that things will change around here in her absence. Her dog will no doubt expect the same welcome at the foot of our bed that she has become accustom to. We will hear about her adventures long distance which will undoubtedly mute her emphatic descriptions and quick wit. We will have more time alone together. We will pick up old hobbies or start new ones. That is exactly what is supposed to happen. Children grow up, become independent and go out into the world. It is the perfect ending and beginning all at once.

So, am I going to get rid of all my checklists? Abandon goal setting? Not likely. However, I am going to commit to the journey as deeply as I commit to the accomplishment in this coming year of endings and beginnings.

I will be present every day. I am not getting any of these moments back.
I will see things not as ending but as stops along the way in a greater journey. Changing my perspective changes everything.
I will say what needs to be said.
I will let go and accept the changes that will inevitably come. I know that I suffer more by wishing things could be different than from the change itself.

I selected this photograph, which I took outside of Concrete, WA in late winter, because it reminds me of that tipping point between the end of winter and the beginning of spring when the forest is still quite dormant but the sun is beginning to climb in the sky.

Dawn in Concrete
(1/500 sec., f/11, 20 mm, 360 ISO)

Growth Mindset, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Mindfulness

Growing Pains (There’s a reason why they’re not called Growing Joys.)

November 24, 2018 Catherine Matthews 7 Comments

I was listening to a series of lectures by Pema Chödrön the other day. She is a Buddhist nun and teacher who I find very insightful and inspirational. In her lecture, she said something to the effect that we should never underestimate the human drive to avoid discomfort. I was taken aback by the sheer obviousness of the comment. After all, why would anyone choose pain over joy? Why would anyone choose to be anxious if they could choose to be calm? Why would anyone willingly welcome loss, failure, or grief? I nearly missed her point as I mentally argued my point with her. Her point was that only through experiencing discomfort can we actually grow or learn. Discomfort has something to teach us. Though we have a million ways to avoid and distract ourselves from discomfort, we are never really eliminating it. We are merely putting it off. In some cases, we are even compounding the problem. For example, when people use drugs, alcohol or food to numb their pain, they are just putting the pain on pause. It will be there when they wake up. I am not advocating that we live a life of suffering sleeping on a bed of nails denying ourselves joy. I do think, however, that we need to be able to stay with discomfort and be open to what it can teach us. More importantly, we need to help our children to develop the ability to be with their pain or sadness as an inescapable yet transitory part of life. We can be compassionate toward their feelings without robbing them of the opportunity to learn how to experience these emotions. I think this is what my dad intended when he would say, “It builds character”. “It” was always something unpleasant that I was sad or disappointed or angry about. Though at the time I always replied (mentally), “I have enough character already! How much do I need?!?!”, the truth is that there was always a lesson in the pain. No matter what that lesson is, I always grow from it and it is usually accompanied by a realization that I am stronger than I thought was.

When I was 21, I bought my first pickup truck. I had been walking to school for two years. I did not mind the snowy hike up to the University of Alaska really. But more and more, my labs were in the evenings. Though it was dark during the day as well, the darkness at night made me uncomfortable and not because of human predators. After a few weeks of searching, I found a 1984 Dodge Ram pickup. It was a 4-wheel drive, half ton with a 225 slant six. I got it for a steal from a man who decided that getting up at 2 AM in 40 below weather to warm up the engine was not really worth the sheer beauty of Fairbanks, Alaska. My then boyfriend (now husband) had a tight group of friends from his hometown. When I got my truck, they informed me that I had to take it four wheeling with them. It was sold as some sort of rite of passage but truthfully, I think it was more likely a form of hazing (someday I will tell you about the Ptarmigan Call which I totally fell for). Regardless, I am not the type of person who backs down from a challenge – even when a smarter person would. Needless to say, I accepted and quickly found myself in a line of 4 X 4’s heading out past Murphy Dome. My husband rode with me all the way to the top. It was nerve-racking. I did not want anything to happen to my new truck. The beast was so much longer that the Scout ahead of me or the Landcruiser behind me which made it much less agile. Add to that the fact that I am 5’5” tall, so on the uphill grade I had to grip the steering wheel and lean in to see past the five feet of hood in front of me. Most of the road was dirt and gravel but several places were washed out leaving only enough surface for two tires. Slipping off meant backing downhill to get back on top of the tracks. We went slow, low and steady for a couple of hours. The trip was mostly silent. It is not that I had nothing to say but my jaw was locked too tight to talk. My neck and shoulders were killing me by the time we got to the top. The momentary pride I felt when the guys congratulated me for making it was dashed when I realized I had to drive back down. Even though I felt like I was admitting defeat somehow, I turned to my husband and asked him to drive it down. I was turning toward the cab when he said, “Oh no. It’s your truck. You have to drive it down.” I couldn’t believe it. I was on the verge of tears which just made me mad. I mean here I was with these guys who were never going to let me forget it if I cried. But I was beat. I honestly wasn’t sure I could get back down. Sometimes you don’t know how strong you are until you have to be strong – or until you are really pissed off. And I was. I looked at my husband and told him to find a ride off the mountain. Then I started the engine and got in line. Half way down, we hit the double track. I was all the way at the bottom when someone started honking behind me. One of the guys in a Landcruiser had slipped off and was high-centered. My husband hiked back to me. He explained that I was going to have to back up the hill and pull him on to the track. He looked at me and said, “You can do this. I’ll stay behind you. Go slow and watch me.” The way he said it made me believe he thought I was strong and capable (and possible was not just being a jerk earlier). I put it in reverse and inched back up the hill watching him direct me in my rearview mirror. I pulled the Landcruiser out and we made our way home. The guys gave me credit. It didn’t stop them from throwing the gauntlet down when they could, but I think they respected me for sticking it out.

On that trip, I didn’t have time to think about anything but what was actually happening moment to moment. I didn’t have time to analyze what was said. I didn’t have time to agonize over how I came to be in that position. I didn’t have time to play out all the possible outcomes in my head. I didn’t have time to make up some story about the event which would only cause me greater discomfort. There was no way to avoid the discomfort of the moment except to just be with it. Just like everything else in life, it passed. Just like every experience I have – good and bad- I learned from it. I learned I was stronger than I thought. I learned my husband already knew that.

This is a picture of the Beast from one of our many adventures. Man, I loved that truck!

Change, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Mindfulness, Relationships, Teaching & Learning

Empathy Gap – Don’t Fall In

November 6, 2018 Catherine Matthews 10 Comments

As soon as I shut the door, I knew. I heard the click of the lock and my stomach sank to my feet. I collapsed forward. My forehead hit the top of the window giving me an unobstructed view of my purse and both sets of my car keys sitting prominently on the passenger seat mocking me. Don’t ask why I had both sets of car keys, I have no idea. With a symphony of colorful words going through my mind, I raced around the Jeep trying each door even though I knew they too would be locked. I called my husband. I’m not sure what kind of magic I thought he could do from 15 miles away. His first question, “Where’s your spare?”, had me banging my head on the glass. He must have sensed I was a woman on the edge because he didn’t ask why I had them both. He did say the obvious, “You’re going to have to call a locksmith.” There I stood in the freezing garage, boot-stomping, dirt-kicking mad. Any thought of going back in the building was crushed when I realized my security card lay next to my keys on the seats of the Jeep. I was supposed to be meeting a dear friend to celebrate her birthday and I was already a bit late.

Pacing around the garage, I Googled “Locksmiths near me” and quickly picked the first one on the list. It was a risk, but I didn’t have time for background checks and online reviews. The man who answered sounded far away, but what he was lacking in proximity, he made up for in enthusiasm. He said he would be there in 20 so I called my friend to tell her I would be late. I’m never late. I hate being late. Lateness stresses me out. My dear friend, when I told her my sad tale, wondered if I was safe. She asked if I needed help. She assured me that it was fine. Of course, she said all that. I would have said all that in her position. That’s what friends do. But in my head, I was not so kind. “I cannot believe you did this again.” “Focus on what you are doing!” “Get organized already.” The truth is that the last time I did this was 11 years ago. I know that because it was in front of the Holiday Inn in Pullman, Washington on the Sunday morning after I graduated. I went out to clear the snow off my Jeep and I locked the key in the ignition with the engine running. So, I don’t lose my keys all the time. (I did back in the 80’s but that is a whole story all by itself.) Second, I am generally focused. I was distracted by a particularly hilarious string of texts my sisters were sending. Who wouldn’t be? Finally, organized? I am not neat, but I am very organized. So, my whole mental punishment was way out of line and I should have just followed my dear, sweet friend’s compassionate lead. I did not. It was made worse because it was the end of the day. People were slowly heading to the garage to leave and, of course, wondered why I was pacing around like a bull before the fight. “No. My jeep does not have electronic locks. Why? It makes it easier to take the doors off! Do you happen to have a tool for that on you?” “Yes. I know it is not smart to carry both sets of keys.” They meant well but let’s face it- I was in a mood.

The locksmith arrived earlier than he estimated. I was right, he was enthusiastic. In fact, he seemed perfectly suited to the job. He moved around the Jeep quickly, wasting no time assessing the situation and determining his best course of action. He was a bit thrown by the whole “no electronics” in the door thing. He must have asked me four times what year the Jeep was and, each time, he was surprised when I said 2018. He was reassuring. I would guess he is faced with angry, stressed people all day long. I didn’t seem to faze him a bit. It took him only 15 minutes to open it up and I was on the road. I had only five miles or so to go but I hit every single light.

By the time I got to the restaurant, I was pretty much done. And then, as I sat in my Jeep in the parking lot, I took a breath. I remembered why I was there. I was there to celebrate the birthday of a woman I dearly love. I was there to spend a couple of precious hours with someone I only get to see about once a month. I was in danger of missing those moments because I was so irritated with myself over a fairly small mistake that was fixed in 15 minutes for $72. It reminded me of something I heard Dr. Adolph Brown say about empathy last week at a conference I attended. His presentation was one of those heart-swelling, tear-inducing, thought-provoking, inspirational events that feed my heart, soul and mind. (Seriously, if you have the chance to hear him speak, do not miss it. You’ll thank me.) I love that type of speaker- the ones who give me a visceral learning experience and leave me not merely inspired but changed. He was talking about the “empathy gap”. This was a presentation to a group of educators, so his remarks were related to working with students. He talked about the importance of empathy. Empathy is the missing piece of the puzzle when we are trying to figure out how to reach students and engage them in learning. If we have empathy, it changes how we look at each other and that, in turn changes how we treat each other. If we take the time to learn about and understand another person, rather than assuming we understand them based on what they look like or act like, we can develop a relationship. Learning is about relationships. Kids- and adults for that matter- cannot learn well without a sense of safety, belonging, and understanding that comes through positive, healthy relationships. Dr. Brown also reminded the adults in the room that the ability to have empathy requires that we develop compassion for ourselves. We cannot teach children what we do not know ourselves. If we do not have compassion for ourselves, we will have difficulty having compassion and empathy for others. Social emotional learning is not just for children. As adults, we need to attend to it as well. So, sitting there in the parking lot, having mentally flogged myself over those keys, I reminded myself to have a little compassion and give myself a break. I let it go so that I would not miss the present worrying about the past.

Inspiration, Life Lessons, Life Long Learning, Mindfulness

Finding the Purpose of (My) Life

July 25, 2018 Catherine Matthews 11 Comments

I’m starting with the really big questions this week, which always seems to coincide with the end of a vacation in which I get a little breathing room to think big thoughts. This particular vacation was riddled with laughter and that, too, breaks up the log jams that clog my thinking. I read a beautiful blog the other day by Robyn Haynes, on her site Big Dreams For A Tiny Garden, entitled Raison D’Être. I highly recommend it. It got me thinking about the purpose of my own life. That is one of the biggest of all questions. Why do I exist? For that matter, why do Woodchucks exist? Or Banana Slugs? I believe there is a purpose for everything (to paraphrase Ecclesiastes 3:1 and The Mamas and The Papas). I believe I have led a purpose-driven life. Though I must admit, I could not articulately or completely say exactly what that purpose is. The truth is that I am a very goal-driven person. I think my goals revolve around a set of core values and beliefs. Those in turn are based on what I think the purpose of my life is. For example, one of my core values is equity. One of my core beliefs is that education is at the heart of equity. I believe every single person deserves a free, high quality education which will allow them to achieve all of their life goals regardless of their zip code, their bank account, their religion, their gender, their ethnicity, their language, their fill-in-the-blank… every single person. But is that my purpose? In my work, I live that core belief. Maybe, it is my purpose. I think about a “purpose” as one of those monolithic, granite monuments of life. I imagine this booming voice thundering from the heavens, “Your purpose, Catherine, is to do everything you can to provide an equitable education to every child!” I can’t really picture that voice saying, “Your purpose, Catherine, is to go grocery shopping.” How could my purpose be something mundane that everyone has to do? It must be red carpet, Oscar-worthy stuff, right? But then it occurred to me that I don’t really know what my purpose is, and I am not sure I can or will ever know my real purpose. Being an educator is what I think my purpose is. But I could have it completely wrong. Maybe being an educator is just a great thing that I love doing and that, hopefully, made a difference in students’ lives. Not only is it possible that this is not my purpose, or maybe not my only purpose, it is also possible that my purpose is something I think is inconsequential, but in the end has a massive and enduring impact. What if our purpose is more like a small cog in a wheel that drives a machine that changes the world? What if all the good and bad things that happen in our lives come together to lead us to the exact moment of our true purpose?

Hypothetically (actually this is complete fiction, but I have a point, so stay with me), let’s imagine that I am a business tycoon. In this fictional world, I have made it my life’s work to develop an eco-friendly construction company. I have a vision that I am passionate about. My purpose is saving the environment while furthering economic development. I am changing the world with each print of my tiny little carbon foot. I travel to Arizona where I am pitching my idea for an innovative, energy-efficient office building. While there, I take my clients to lunch at a farm-to-table restaurant where only free-range chickens are served on steamed organic vegetables. As we are walking to my hybrid, out of nowhere, a Gila Monster attacks. I am rushed to the hospital in critical condition with the Gila still attached to my leg. My husband, unfortunately, is traveling in Africa. It takes days for him to arrive at the hospital. He waits endlessly for a single seat to open on each of his connecting flights. Days pass, as I slowly recover. Every day, he sits by my side holding my hand. In these quiet hours, we reflect on our lives. We think about what we have done and what we have not done. We decide to start a family. Having experienced more than a passing glance at death, we devote ourselves to raising happy, healthy children who are ready to be happy, healthy, independent adults. They hear our stories through the years and one decides that we were very lucky. Many people would not have had the resources to travel across the globe to get to a loved one when tragedy strikes. She grows up and starts a foundation devoted to providing free transportation, anywhere in the world, to people who cannot afford to reach their loved ones in emergencies. On one of those flights sits a young man who travels to a train wreck in South American where his father will eventually pass. Though he is bereft at the loss of his beloved father, he dedicates himself to becoming an engineer and, one day, designs a small bolt with an intricate locking system that will ultimately save millions of lives.

It could happen. Things like this probably happen every day – a chain of seemingly coincidental events that lead us to our ultimate purpose. A purpose we cannot possibly know. I am not going to stop living what I believe are my purposes in life. I am going to wake up tomorrow no less dedicated to my family, my work or my art. I am also going to wake up to the possibility that what I think is my purpose- or what I want my purpose to be- may not be my true purpose when all is said and done. My whole purpose could be something as simple as a kindness said in passing that puts a chain of events in motion that…. And I am OK with that. I don’t need to know what it is in the end. In the end, I am going to live my life in the best way I know how: love, laugh, learn, lead and lend a hand. My purpose will take care of itself.

I took this photograph of a Woodchuck one evening while on vacation in Leavenworth. I was relaxing with my friend at her cabin and this little guy scurried across the pasture. What is the purpose of a Woodchuck? Does it matter?

No Wood Apparently, That’s How Much
(1/500 sec., f/6, 3200 ISO, 450 mm)

Art, Change, Life Lessons, Mindfulness, Perceptions

Just Beneath the Surface

May 22, 2018 Catherine Matthews 3 Comments

I have been reminiscing a lot lately. I am not sure if it is the passing of my father, my daughter’s impending senior year or just the end of the school year. Whatever it is, I find myself smiling – a lot. I have such great memories. Rebuilding our fire pit reminds me of all of camping trips with my dad. I still love sitting by the fire talking with friends and family. The count down to the end of school reminds me of all of the amazing kids I was blessed to have worked with. Creating anything reminds me of watching my child grow up. My love of photography, I attribute to my dad. But all other art belongs to my daughter. When she was little, she loved to draw and paint. As I was painting the other day, I remembered our “Adventure Days” when we would wake up with no particular plan and do something spontaneous and special together. On the rainy winter days, we often found ourselves in The Ceramic Place (capitalized because that is actually the name) painting coffee mugs or Christmas ornaments. The owner, Marilyn, is so patient and kind. We would spend hours there. Marilyn, having watched me try to paint Celtic knots with disappointing results, showed me how to carve them in the ceramic glaze. I would lay down thick layers of colors on a ceramic tile and wait for them to dry completely. Then I would draw the design on the tile and begin slowly scraping away the layers to reveal the colors below.

Even though I knew what it was going to look like when I was done, there was something magical about scratching away the rough, plain surface to expose the beauty beneath. Under a magnifying glass, I would watch the thin needle as I scrape back and forth so carefully, drawing out each line. My eyes would cross, and my fingers ached. I would blow the dust away when it built up in tiny drifts along the edges. By the time I finished, my clothes would be covered in dust. All those colors came through the depths to create the image. Finally, it would be fired. In that blazing heat, the flat colors turned to liquid. What was nothing more than sand and dust became a rich glass.

That’s how life is really. We can stay on the surface where it is plain and dull. It takes no effort at all. You don’t get messy. The only pain is boredom or loneliness. But if you put some effort in; if you are willing to get a little messy; if you are willing to scratch beneath the surface- well that is where the beauty in life lies. Beneath the surface. And I have found that those parts of my life forged in a little fire are the most beautiful parts of all.

This piece took a very long time to carve. It is a replica of the Gateway Guardian mascot which I carved for my best friend. The picture on the left shows the tile prior to firing. The picture on the right shows the tile after firing.

Family, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Mindfulness

You’re Never Too Old for a Little Joy

April 6, 2018 Catherine Matthews 5 Comments

I found myself sifting through old Easter pictures this week. It’s not surprising really. I often find myself looking back when holidays roll around. This is one of my favorite Easter pictures. I keep a copy on my desk. My daughter was three in this picture and the youngest of a herd of kids at my sister’s house for the holiday. My sister always put on amazing holiday feasts and welcomed family and friends to her home. On this particular Easter, she filled a rainbow of plastic eggs with chocolates and hid them all around her yard. They filled six baskets in the end. With a little help from her older cousins, my daughter had a full basket to herself. She chased the older kids around and they were so sweet to help her find the eggs. In the end, she was completely bushed. She crouched down in the middle of the driveway holding her chubby little cheeks up in both hands and waited for the day to end.

No More Candy: Easter 2003
(1/500 sec., f/9, 100 ISO, 20.3 mm)

As I sorted through the pictures though, I was reminded of what an adventure it is to have a three-year-old. They are so unguarded. They just feel. And they let you know in so many ways what they are feeling. That day, she went through every possible mood and I captured them all. What was astounding though was that every change in mood was punctuated with joy. She giggled and laughed. She chased the other kids and ran with glee when they chased her. She bubbled when her cousin let her play with her dolls. She glowed when they took her hand. When one found an egg, he made it seem like a big glorious discovery and she squealed. When she ate, she chomped away like it was the best thing she ever ate. She did everything with joy. Oh sure, she cried that day. She scowled that day. I was pretty sure she might even get sick that day. But in between were priceless moments of unadulterated joy.

Joyful
(1/250 sec., f/10, 100 ISO, 24 mm)

I think sometimes, as adults, we forget to revel in the joy of the moment. I don’t mean the big moments- like births and weddings and birthdays. Those are definitely joyful. I mean connecting with joyful moments as often as we can. (You know you are doing this enough, by the way, if your teenager finds you just a little embarrassing.) Sometimes you have to work joy into your life. Sometimes it just appears. Every spring when I take the top off my Jeep, no matter how cold it is, I go for a long drive with the music up loud and get an ice cream cone. It’s might seem silly. But I love that feeling of wind in my hair and a soundtrack made just for me. It makes me feel young and free- even if it is only for 50 miles. It is extra joyful when my daughter joins me. I like getting up in early in the morning, cranking up the tunes and working out- pure joy. I am filled with joy when my teenager comes in at the end of the day to tell me all about her’s- yup simple joy. I love getting up at the crack of dawn with my husband and driving into the mountains. Uninterrupted, easy conversation with the man I have loved for 34 years- pure joy. Sitting by the firepit with friends and family. Tackling a really complicated job. Spending a couple of hours catching up with my friends. Creating something beautiful. Joy. Joy. Joy. Joy. Sometimes as adults, we get bogged down in all of our responsibilities, plans, and schedules. We forget to be present. That is when we miss the joy. There are ups and downs certainly. In fact, 2018 has been a struggle so far in our house. But the truth is that in between all of those little challenges, we have had a lot of joy. I am glad I did not miss it. I hope you will stop and feel the joy.

My Stone Stress Seismograph

Wisdom of Intuition

More Than One Path

Persistence Point

Creativity Jumpstart

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Women's Fiction Author