The nice thing about choosing a direction

"The nice thing about choosing a direction is that you never know what you're going to get.  You might head west in search of the mountains on the horizon but along the way find a beautiful river instead.  Or you might traverse the sand dunes only to find a village a few miles from the crater behind you.  You never what what's around the bend."

-Joshua Fields Millburn

I'm not a risk taker and I don't love surprises.  For me, the thing about choosing a direction is that I'm ALWAYS afraid, anxious, unsure, and positive I'm going to fail along the way.  I forget that I can find beauty and adventure in almost any circumstance.  That's why this quote means so much to me.

Take what is given

I've been feeling lately like I don't have anything profound to say.

I have books and books of quotes I love, inspiring thoughts I've recorded, notes from books I've read...I just don't have a really excellent way of conveying what's all jumbled in my head.  No good stories or experiences or anything to make it more real.

Well, I decided to just start sharing some of what I love, hoping the inspiration will come eventually if I just keep writing...

So, here ya go:

"Always fall in with what you're asked to accept.  Take what is given, and make it over your way.  My aim in life has always been to hold my own with whatever's going.  Not against: with."

-Robert Frost

I guess taken out of context this advice could be seen as spineless or something.  But the way I read it, I see great wisdom in it.  Being back at work this week has thrown me.  A new schedule and environment, coworkers, new responsibilities, comparing my weaknesses with the strengths of everyone around me, just a general sense of rustyness and being out of my element.  Not to mention the little bit of heartache I feel having my life plans altered.

Reading this quote helps me remember to go with the flow, as overused as the phrase is.  And not only just to chill out and accept things as they come, but to always remember to be myself.  The best version of myself.  Not a copy of someone I look up to.  Just plain ole me.  Good and bad.  Far too often, in situations that make me feel uncomfortable and inferior, I've defaulted to trying to become someone else.  I love the idea of "making it over my way."  Take the situation, adapt, be yourself, contribute in your own unique way.

I read in a good book once, "don't puff, don't shrink, stand on your own sacred ground".

Another link...

I read this post today and loved it.  I feel like I have just begun my journey trying to live with less, and this woman's words were a great comfort to me.  Hope you like it too :)

http://www.slowyourhome.com/simple-living-nothing/

What I already have

"Don't spoil the things you have with the things you don't."

-something I heard on a podcast by the minimalists


"If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we'd be happy with more?"

-Unknkown (but I found it on THIS blog post which was not only hilarious but so inspiring.  Thanks for sharing it with me, Krista)

I just wanted to share these two morsels today.  Mostly because I need to hear them myself.

I'm going to back to work next week. Not full time, just filling in at my old job for a couple girls while they go have babies and enjoy maternity leave.  It's the most perfect mom gig I could think of...very few hours, no need to hire child care, working nights, a bit of time to myself to rediscover who I am when not in mom mode...I'm really looking forward to it.  But the tiniest corner of my heart is hurting.  I realize how ridiculous it might sound to anyone other than me, but this wasn't in my plan.  I didn't picture working again until my youngest child was going into kindergarten.  I can't stop myself from thinking that this one child I have IS my youngest.  I never wanted a brood of kids, but I certainly never pictured having just ONE.

Once again, I think the answer to my pain is something I've written about over and over again on this blog.  And it's summed up nicely in the two quotes above.  It would be such a shame to spoil this time with my family by thoughts (obsessions) about what is lacking in my life.  I have so many beautiful things in my life.  If I'm not happy with these moments right now, I'll never be.

Presents and presence

My birthday was last week.  After reading THIS from one of my favorite blogs and THIS from the minimalist blog (and book), I decided to request something a bit different this year.

Not as much stuff.

It's not that I never want any THING ever again, I just want to place a greater focus on experiences and people and relationships.  I've found them to last much longer than THINGS anyway.  So, when asked by friends and family what I wanted this year, I tried to use some creativity.  And I feel like it paid off big.  One of the best birthdays I can remember.  And the actual gifting was pretty limited.  Heavy on the experiences, light on the stuff.

I felt (and still feel) a bit sheepish about it.  How do you tell people you don't want anything for your birthday or any other holiday?  How do you answer the question "What did you get?" without looking like a mountain dwelling hermit?  How do you explain that being with someone is better than any gift they could give?

It's a weird experience and I don't know how I'm going to approach the overwhelming materialism of Christmas this year, but this birthday has given me hope that it can be successful and that people will understand.

Read those two blog posts if you have a second.  Maybe we can start a revolution.  Less stuff.  More time with each other :)

Chickpea patties

We had this for dinner a couple weeks ago...soo delicious.  Sorry, no picture this time.

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chickpea-and-vegetable-patties-969

I didn't put the sesame seeds in, but the end result was still so yummy.  We have been eating chickpea patties wrapped in naan or just on a sandwich of ciabatta bread then we pile on some plain yogurt, cilantro, shredded carrots, avocado (if we have it) and red onion.  Most people would like tomato too, but we are a little bit anti fresh tomato.  Weird, I know.

Make it tonight!  So easy, cheap, and yummy!