So stock up!

I absolutely LOVE travelling–particularly taking the open road here in the US. Observing scenic beauty as I did today driving along the highway towards Winchester, MD from Ellicott City, or the mountains of Georgia (ala Deliverance) as I’ve done in the past. Even driving albeit stealthily through snowstorms in Buffalo, NY; Chicago or Minneapolis/St Paul is a unique treat.

What can I tell ya, if you have to choose between a high paying desk job and a lower paying job that allows you to engage in nature and meet diverse people–it’s a no brainer y’all.

Or course if you can achieve both–even better.

After all, when you get old–you’ll have to rely on your memories for entertainment!

Living in technicolor

My 5 year old daughter was off school today so we spent the day bonding–just being girls. I took her along with me to the hair salon, afterwards we headed over to Home Depot to get much needed bedroom lighting.

Right away she spotted two different floor lamps both with multi-colored shades–one more suitable for children, the other more grown up. I eagerly put the floor lamp for her bedroom in the cart, and despite really liking her selection for my room, went instead with a safer choice–a brushed nickel floor lamp.

When we arrived at the checkout the saleswoman applauded my daughter’s choice for her room and stated enthusiastically, that it was a choice she’d make for her own bedroom, even as a grown up.

I reflected on how much more I’d preferred my daughter’s selection for my room. Yet I’d gone with a safer, more conservative choice, to avoid risk. I mean, really…it’s just lighting!

I also thought about easily we allow the color in our lives to seep away when we become adults, by consistently sticking to ‘safe’ decisions, including those with few consequences.

So, I told the saleswoman to wait…that I had to make a switch real quick.

When my daughter and I returned home, I was thrilled to see how perfectly the new floor lamp picked up the colors from my primal quilt.

This small detail brought my bedroom to life!

The Simpler Life

3 years ago I was laid off. It was a job I enjoyed with a company of which I was very proud, and at the time, gave me my identity. I made good money such that when I decided to move back to the Northeast post-layoff, I discovered unopened boxes from earlier work relocations, also multiples of random items (why would a single person need 5 bicycle seat covers?) What changed? I could blame it on my needy partner, compounded with the challenges of having a second child. But it doesn’t really matter. Spending time with my children became more important than working late; travelling across (or out of) the country to give presentations less glamorous. And those frequent early morning meetings conflicting with daycare drop-off? Quite the pain. When I left town with my children, I left everything behind, including, the needy partner, years of accumulation, and the house. Some might even say I lost everything. I say: My children and I are living a much simpler life focusing on the things that really matter to us: family and friends, good health, nature, and spirituality. And, oh yeah I now work from home…