You ask:
“How are you doing?”
And I answer:
“Okay.”
A polite
(brief)
interaction,
done exactly right.
And a lie.
Here is
what I want
to say:
“I’m breathing,
trying
my very best,
and getting up
every day.
I’m sad,
and stressed,
and waiting
for this awful thing
to pass.
It will,
I know,
but the time in between
feels endless.
I’m not okay
(thanks for listening)
but I will be.”
self-care
Tired
It’s what we are around here today. This fall has been a whirlwind – some good things, some not so good things, some I plan to write about, and some that I’d rather not – and as we come into the holiday season, I’m just feeling a little run down. I’m sure everyone can relate. It happens. But my gosh, I just really can’t believe it’s already November, and before we know it, we’ll be looking at 2023 on the horizon.
So, on that note, we’ve had a visit planned with Graham’s family for a while anyway, so I’ll be taking a break for the next week. I’ll be back on Friday, November 11th. In the meantime, as we move from autumn to winter, and from spooky to festive season, I wish all of you rest, comfort, warmth, joy, and happy creating!
Your Time Belongs to You (A Poem)
(…that I definitely didn’t write for myself, because I needed to hear it.)
Your time belongs to
only you.
So take it easy,
slow and steady,
and stop
and breathe
if you need to.
It’s okay to
just be
or to not
be okay.
The rest of the world –
it can wait.
A Pre-Spring Break
Yes, indeed. And much needed.
Graham and I are heading to the coast later this week, so I’ll be taking a bit of a writing break. But I’ll be back next week – I’m sure with lots of stories and pictures – and February’s short story will be posted on Monday, February 28th. It’s a good one, if I do say so myself. So, check back next week, and in the meantime, happy creating, y’all!
Staycation! (Or, come back next week.)
We need a break, y’all. Our summer was pretty packed, and fall is shaping up to be a lot more busy than we thought, too. So, Graham and I are taking the opportunity now to step away, get some rest, and have a little staycation. I’ll be back next Wednesday, but for now, I wish each of you a lovely weekend, and a good start to next week.
Found Friday #38: The Gift of Time
It’s been a really busy year so far. I’ve not had a lot of time to just sit and do nothing, and neither has Graham. We’ve both been working hard, trying to balance our own goals and personal projects, time with friends, volunteer work, actual work, taking care of Annie and Gatsby, house stuff… It’s been a lot.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m fulfilled, and very happy, and I generally enjoy being busy. But sometimes, it’s just nice to take an afternoon and slow down.
Graham hasn’t had the chance yet, but I took advantage of my small to-do list today and used this afternoon to just relax.
I took a long nap, watched some TV, did a face mask, and ate snacks. It was amazing.
I’m feeling sort of guilty about it now, because there are certainly things I could have been working on, but I think it’s so important to give yourself time. It’s a gift many of us struggle to allow ourselves, though we tend to dole it out freely to other people, to work, to things that make us unhappy or stressed.
But our time is finite and valuable, and we deserve to have some of it just for ourselves.
My to-do list will be there tomorrow. Until then, I’m taking it easy.
A Virginia Writer's Diary 