September 11, 2011- Ten years later

Ten years ago, on a bright September morning, we held hands across the center console of the car as we drove back from our honeymoon.  We were excited and in love and anxious to begin our life together.   And as we sat there, full of hope and anticipation for our beautiful new life beginning, we also began to slowly realize the world as we knew it was about to be forever changed.

It was a strange dynamic, our lives transforming into that of now a young married couple,  full of love and potential and at just the same moments the security  in the world around us was being completely devastated through the events of what we now all know as simply:   9/11.

Because we spent the day driving, we never saw the footage everyone else saw.    We felt the quiet and somber disconnect as we drove along, our car a surplus of goodness, so to speak, filled with wedding memories and gifts --    as we listened on the radio to the overwhelming and uncontrollable destruction unfolding in our world, an absolute barrage of misery.  Coming to terms with the reality that both emotional extremes could in fact coexist during this time and in the months ahead wasn’t easy.

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Ten years later today.  

We still didn’t watch the footage.   We intentionally removed ourselves from all media and  chose instead to fill the day with happiness, remembering ten years of marriage, sharing wonderful memories of a honeymoon together and enjoying and relishing in the two beautiful children that we have.   It was certainly deliberate, but not done out of disrespect for the magnitude of the day, as much as a conscious choice to not submerse ourselves in the obvious sadness.  We had a choice of how to spend the day, and we chose to spend it … happily.  

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I’m not a believer of letting the date of something terrible destroy your life, year after year after year.   While there is an absolute awareness of dates, always stirring with correlating events,   life… or death… to me… aren’t about the dates.   The memories, good and bad, will remain and from there, it’s up to us.   How we live each day moving forward is a choice.  Some days, it’s a harder choice to make, but the choice is always there.   And I believe it’s ours to consciously make.

 

                                         9/11/11:  Spending the day being smothered with kisses!

Thoughts for today.   September 11th.  Ten years later.

~K

September 10, 2011 - Courage

The courage she displayed today filled my eyes with tears.

The enthusiasm she has engages everyone around her.

The beauty she is unaware of, stuns me.

The kindness she has with others amazes me.

The excitement she has for life… I’m glad to share.

My girl, … a brave, courageous little lion today.  

I couldn’t be more proud.

~K

September 9, 2011- Ordinary Day

Today I spent the day doing ordinary things.  Nothing fun particularly, but all necessary. 

I cleaned the house, took my car in to get new brakes, dropped off kids, went to the grocery, made dinner, picked kids up, stopped to the pharmacy… on and on and on.

It wasn’t a special day, or even an exciting day.   It was simply ordinary.  Sometimes these ordinary days are just what you need to be thankful for.    Because even though it lacked excitement, it also lacked drama or sadness or distress.

It was a simply ordinary day.   And that is wonderful all in and of itself.

~K

September 8, 2011- Breakfast for Two

Today, I had a breakfast date with one of my favorite people.

The last time we caught up for breakfast, just the two of us, was about 8 years ago.  

It was long overdue.   And just perfect.

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Today, I had breakfast with my husband.  

Just the two of us. 
In our kitchen.

With fresh vegetables from our garden.  And visiting quietly over morning coffee.

There were no kids screaming or singing or whining or talking.  

And that wasn’t lonely as much as it was just fine.

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Today, in our kitchen, was a breakfast date for two. 

I think we’ll do it again tomorrow…. there’s a lot of morning coffee mornings to make up for after eight years.

~K

September 7, 2011- Judgement

My yoga instructor uses quotes from Wayne Dyer often.

Though there was no time for yoga today, one of my favorite quotes from him is below. 

“When you judge another, you do not define them; rather you define yourself…” 

- Wayne Dyer

Interesting to keep in mind.

~K

September 6, 2011- Preschool

I love it.

I love finding myself again… for just a few moments a day.

I love the children happy and learning and finding their independent selves as well.

Preschool.   Welcome to our world.  Who’d have thought?

~K

September 5, 2011- Safe travels

I’m not a paranoid traveler.  Rather, I’m fairly comfortable.   The girl sitting next to us on a flight today, however, was a little paranoid.   I could tell with her body language.     

While traveling doesn’t bother me or fill me with worry, the day was, in retrospect,  full of prompt, effortless and safe travel.   And there’s nothing wrong with taking a moment to acknowledge and to appreciate  it.

~K