Embracing the ordinary (and staying alive to the extraordinary)

After writing a post on Facebook, I asked myself: "Why? What is it for? What am I trying to say here?" And I guess, this is what I was trying to say: There is a constant, internal battle. A little questioning voice. And the question on endless loop is: "Have I done enough? Was it good enough? Should I have tried harder? ... Am I good enough?" And this morning I took a step back and realised, with a smile, that I did, it was, no and YES. It wasn't about the homemade pasta, or the sheer enjoyment of a new kitchen appliance that needed celebrating (though, let's face it, new appliances are worth celebrating!). It was about answering my own questions. I don't get up at the crack of dawn to prepare for the day. I don't meditate and practice mindfulness in a regular way. My life doesn't seem very disciplined or routined. And that has been bothering me. Surely, I have been lacking in some way. But my hastily written Facebook post helped m...

Trigger warning : I talk about an attempted suicide . This past week, one of the much loved teachers at the school our children attend, had a birthday. I was aware of it because of Facebook. (Yes, as a social networking tool, it is pretty awesome!) And I considered what I wanted to say to this man. These are some of the things I thought about: He partners with us to educate our children and has a hand in shaping their perceptions of the world around them. That is a very significant thing. And as a person, he is likeable and an inspiration as he seeks to continue growing and learning, has a sense of humour and engages the people around him. Our children look up to him as someone with important information to impart in a unique way that inspire them to continue the process of learning outside the classroom. He plays a significant role in the life of our school. After thinking about all of that, I came back to what I say to everyone in my circle that celebrates a birthda...

In February, we had this incredible opportunity to go on a family road trip in South Africa (a.k.a. the Motherland). And in our eagerness for this holiday adventure, we made our many preparations: Friends invited, check ... Flights and insurance sorted, check ... Birth certificates copied and translated, check ... Pets and plants taken care of, check ... Accommodation and itinerary sorted, check ... Bags packed, check. Finally, because we live in the Magic Kingdom and Enchanted Forest (more about that another day) ... House sitter, check. This final point took care of a few things on our list: pets, peace of mind, plants etc. Since moving to our own little paradise, in a quiet village, we have heard frequently that it would be foolish to leave our home unoccupied for the duration of our trip. So we dutifully (and a bit skeptically) found someone willing to occupy our space and take on the duties listed above. We thought we were doing them a favour ...! Fast forward to 5 days into o...