Happy Mother’s Day!

May 14, 2017 / Sheila / Leave a comment

This year, for the first time in a long time, I didn’t need to send flowers or do anything long distance for Mother’s Day. Over the past week, I’ve spent time with my mother, my mother-in-law, and my daughter. And of course, I’ve been with the littles. Wonderful to give gifts and love in person!

Beautiful mothers all, the inter-generation connection is sweet and powerful to experience, as I’ve been blessed, again, to touch people who are part of the fabric of my ties that bind.

My goal as a mother was to be the best example, parent, friend, and teacher I could be. Of course I didn’t always live up to my aspirations, but I tried. That much I know. And that’s all any of us can do…we try, and keep on trying.

I learned so much from my mom and my mother-in-law about the work of parenting, of friending, and of the on-going nature of mothering. Watching my daughter parent reminds me of the stages and the changes of this life of motherhood…how it shifts and grows, widens and deepens with the years.

Thank you to all the mothers in my life…for the joys, the patience, the humor, the tears, and the memories. It’s been an amazing experience, and a gift that keeps on giving.

Roses

The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children. ~ Jessica Lange

Word for the year, 2017

January 2, 2017 / Sheila / 1 Comment

It’s that time again. Time to decide what word will define and guide the coming year. I started this practice in 2012, and to date these have been my choices:

2012 – Revision
2013 – Momentum
2014 – Consistent
2015 – Hope
2016 – Thrive

I like choosing a word that’s both positive and implies growth. Growth is a good thing…whether I’m learning something new, stretching my abilities to share with others, or just improving a skill I already have, growth is always my goal.

But desire for growth doesn’t exclude times of stillness, moments of contentment to look around and just be.

In fact, I believe movement and stillness, growth and contentment, are essential to a happy life.

The happiest moments in my life have been the times I was still and reflective enough to realize, right in the moment, that I was happy…content with what was happening at that very moment.

Growth takes work, requires planning, thought, organizing, time.

Stillness allows me to evaluate and take stock of where I am, what I’ve learned, and what’s occurring in the moment.

Being intentional in my life is a way to express these two distinct states of being…growth-seeking, and being still.

By being intentional, I set the tone. I make the plan, I choose when to say yes, and when to say no.

I take responsibility for growth, and for times of stillness.

Being intentional means living thoughtfully, and that’s sometimes difficult to do. In a culture that moves at the speed of social media, and gets caught up in trends and likes, gadgets and the pursuit of “more,” it’s easy to live in reactionary mode, instead of choosing how my life will look.

I’ve not always done a good job of choosing direction…I’ve been far too passive, far too willing to let other things and other people set my priorities.

This year, I commit to living with intention, to choose how I want to grow, how I’ll serve others, and how I’ll take time to be still and reflect.

The easiest thing in the world is to live in the flow of whatever life we’ve found ourselves in, and the hardest thing is to stand in the middle of that flow and try to control it. Understand, this isn’t about a power struggle with anyone…in fact, to others, my life may look much the same as before.

Or not.

The desire to live with intention is about having an internal monitor, about being self-directed rather than being passive.

So, my word for 2017 is “intentional.”

What about you? Do you have a word to define your coming year?

~ Sheila

Happy 2017!

January 1, 2017 / Sheila / 1 Comment

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January 1st, New York…we finally made it here for a New Year’s Eve celebration, along with 2 million other guests, gathered in the city to welcome the new year with shows, fireworks, food, and good cheer.

It was a beautiful night, cold enough to feel seasonal, warm enough to make walking the city blocks enjoyable. With the lights of Christmas still all around, the city was a-blaze in its festive look, mixed with all the iconic sites that are the everyday New York…the street vendors, food carts, world-renowned landmarks and retailers.

Magic!

I was so impressed with the good manners and order we found everywhere. I’m sure there were glitches somewhere…you couldn’t expect less with a record crowd of 2 million… but all we saw were happy people behaving peacefully, police standing by, providing a sense of security with their presence (thank you NYPD!), and merchants and restaurateurs serving with smiles.

We missed the Times Square events on New Year’s eve, though we saw some earlier in the day, and on Friday. By the time we got out of our play (Hamilton, but that’s another post) at 5:00, access to Times Square was blocked. We opted instead for Central Park, where a concert and fireworks were on tap for the huge crowd gathered there.

Loved it all! And if you’ve ever watched the Times Square scene and thought you wouldn’t want to be in that crowd, don’t worry, you don’t have to be. There are plenty of places to celebrate all around the city without staking out a spot at 10:00 AM on New Year’s Eve.

And now off to celebrate some more! Happy, happy 2017 to everyone! May it be a joyous and joy-filled year for all!

~ Sheila