Fall Things Saving My Life
Fall is starting (or my emotions feel like fall anyway), and there is so much to do over the next few weeks. To help me keep perspective on what my life really looks like, here are some things that are saving my life right now.
Finding new things to make in the kitchen: I like to cook, but I have been bored with it lately, because starting school and a busier schedule means that my time in the kitchen is limited. I really like to cook when I have an afternoon to kill and can take my time putting together something delicious. I am not so excited when I’m tearing into the house at 5:00 and am already too hungry to wait. In times like these, I try to find something tiny and new to add to meals and keep things interesting. Yesterday, I made Shannon Martin’s quick pickles. It took me five minutes from start to finish to have everything in the jar and the jar in the fridge, where they had to sit for 24 hours. They were so good I ate them straight out of the jar. There is nothing else I’m making today that will pair with pickles…but I’m fairly sure the jar won’t make it to tomorrow anyway.
Ways to be together: Two weeks ago, my daughter came home from church feeling awful. I went to the grocery that afternoon and grabbed some sinus medication for her, and as a precaution, a Covid test, just to make sure. You can guess how that went.
Now, she is better, and my son, who also got it, is better, and my husband, who also got it, is still struggling. I’m the only one who never got it, and it was a good thing–somebody had to make food and wash clothes and run Clorox wipes over everything in the house. It’s been a lonely couple of weeks, alone in my end of the house while they sequestered in the other. I’ve had a lot of time for reading, but I miss my family.
So this afternoon, I’m saving my life by making one of our favorite pizzas, and bringing it to the back porch. We will all eat together, outside, and let the warm weather and tasty food and good company lift all of our spirits.
Slowing down again: I am a do-more-be-more kind of person. I don’t like to say, “No, I can’t do that.” I want to be everything you need me to be.
The problem, of course, is that I just can’t. Nobody can be everything to all people.
In fact, I’ve learned that my deeply introverted nature has real limits on the amount of socialization I can do, and I’m remembering to recognize when I’ve done too much, without getting frustrated that I don’t want to do more. I’m not a person who does well with plans every night of the week. Looking at the upcoming week, I know I have unavoidable appointments on Tuesday and Thursday and Friday. I’d love to go to the church dinner on Wednesday, but I’m going to have to say no, just because of the busyness of the week. I’m okay with that. Making those decisions ahead of time keeps me from feeling guilty and helps me be happier about the week ahead.
Dreaming new dreams: My friend Sherrie and I have been writing together for years. In the National Writing Project, we presented PD together, and we took that presentation to our state and national conferences. Now, as she has moved into retirement, we are brushing off old writing partnerships and dreaming together again. We have PDs in the works, a writing retreat, and writing workshops. Our plans excite and energize me. Even in a busy season when I’m reminding myself to slow down, it’s so fun to be planning the kind of busy I really want to be.
Retinol eye cream: Maybe it made no real difference, but my eyes just looked better to me in the morning, and that’s all I really needed.
Rom-coms: I am devouring these lately. Funny, silly, sweet, sexy, and a happy ending guaranteed–I need this kind of comfort read badly.
An ice machine: This feels like a silly thing to have saving my life. But my husband bought it for me because we love ice and never seem to have the quantity or quality we want. He cleans the thing religiously and refills it with water, and every time I fill my cup with ice, I feel loved.
Learning new things: I’m still working away on French, and I’ve pulled out the DSLR camera we bought when the kids were little and I never quite figured out how to use. I started watching videos and playing with the settings, and while I may always be a terrible photographer, I am having a lot of fun learning. I love finding new things I want to learn.
The start of a new season is always stressful, but considering and being grateful for the things that are going well helps me reframe the way I’m looking at my life. Your turn now: what’s saving your life?