Tuesday Thoughts: When Do We Know?
#TuesdayThoughts #TuesdayMorning #Positivity #MakeaChange #Travel #NYC
Recently, I realized I just wasn’t myself. My answers were negative. My mindset a bit paranoid. My outlook a bit doomsday. These are typically the opposite of who I am and how I think. What could be troubling me, I wondered.
I contemplated the answer when I was quiet, while I ran, and when I wrote, but nothing was clear. I had a feeling that was unsettled. I wanted to rid myself of it, but how?
Finally, I knew.
Saturday morning, I awoke at 5 a.m., was in the car by 6:15 a.m., and headed South. I hadn’t taken time away from my house, life, and activities in a while. I was pushing through commitments, trying my best to stay dutiful, but it wasn’t working. I’ve always loved driving; in fact, I used to drive one way to Boston College to pick up my son, only to turn around as soon as he was in the car, to drive him back home. An 11-hour total commute in one day didn’t bother me.
As I sped past the speed limit on quiet highways at that time of day, my soul released some of the pent-up negative energy. No cops in sight made it even better. I arrived at the ocean 4 hours later, took a breath of salty air, walked on the beach, and then headed to see my growing granddaughter, Ivy Rose. With her big smile, she ran into my arms. Another part of my spirit was illuminated.
I spent the day with my oldest son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter just talking, cooking, swinging on the swing set, collecting beach glass, and watching the wild waves – much like my spirit before I got there.
The next morning, I was up at the crack of dawn commuting my oldest son into NYC, enjoying the heavy traffic into the Big Apple, where life really happens. I have absolutely no fear of getting lost or hit or anything in NYC; I thrive on the traffic’s chaos at times. By 7:45 a.m., I dropped off one son, crossed Central Park at 66th Street, looking at the flowering trees and hearing beeps and chirps, only to arrive at my youngest son’s beautiful neighborhood to surprise him for his 31st birthday.
“Mom,” he said, “You are lucky I took the day off of work!” to which I responded, “If I only saw you for a few minutes, that would have been enough for me because I miss you.” And with that, we strolled in Central Park for an hour around the big water basin, putting on 12,000 steps and talking about his life and career. I couldn’t have wished for a more perfect time with him.
By 11:30 a.m., after fabulous Italian sandwiches and desserts, I was on my way back to Syracuse with a lighter spirit, afterglow of being with people I love, excited to have been in the wonderful city, blessed my sons have time for me, happy my granddaughter loves seeing me, and grateful I have a good car and money to travel like that when I want.
So, if today you are feeling trapped or just not yourself, consider what would make you happy right this moment and do it. Stop waiting for the best time or planning every detail. Do the thing you know your soul needs. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, just “what YOU need.” XO
Love this! Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like the best day EVER! And I feel the same way about driving!