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Tag Archives: pause

22 Days ’til 40: Slowing Down

30 Jan

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I think one of the occupational hazards of educational administration that I did not reference in my recent post is slowing down (or, rather, lack thereof).  I love my job.  The students, teachers, and parents in our community really are special.  They come together and support each other, sometimes in the midst of very trying life circumstances.  Another thing I appreciate about our community is its diversity.  I work in a place that celebrates and honors differences – in colors, abilities, religion, etc.  As a result, we are a community that is rich – we learn from each other. Read the rest of this entry »

 
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Posted by on January 30, 2013 in attitude, Education, Inspiration, Interpersonal Relations, Interpersonal Skills, therapy

 

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380 Days ’til 40: Ode to Coffee

07 Feb

Today I thought I would take a short moment and write about coffee.  I LOVE coffee.  I love the smell, the flavor, the experience of sitting and sipping a nice, smooth, warm cup. And while, yes, I DO enjoy a cup of Ethiopian coffee, it was NOT the determining factor in adopting my eldest daughter!

Wen I was younger I used to drink coffee for the caffeine and I felt I “needed” the caffeine buzz.  I have not had caffeine in years – YEARS….. but I still love coffee.  I realized it is more the experience of drinking a cup of coffee that I enjoy… I do not need the caffeine to be part of the experience.

Both of my girls love coffee too (yes, particularly my oldest, from Ethiopia).  From an early age we acquiesced and allowed them to freely drink decaf lattes and cappuccinos alongside us.  (My oldest came home from Ethiopia drinking tons of black, caffeinated coffee, so I felt this was at least a step in the right direction and better for her health.)

I cannot stand instant coffee – to me it takes like burnt coffee mud….. yet so many people in this country drink it.  In fact, it is easier to find than filter coffee.  I suppose it is just another symptom of the fast-paced world we live in.  It takes too long to wait the 10-12 minutes for a full, fresh pot to brew.

For my birthday my partner bought me a new coffee pot… but not just any coffee pot, one with a timer!  For the first time in my life I have enjoyed setting the timer and waking up to the smell of coffee permeating our apartment.  (When we are lucky this is all we smell… with three cats, well – you never know.)

I think the best part about coffee is the ability to stop and take that momentary pause when you drink it (thus, the classic coffee break).  Even when I cannot pause, the memories of the many times I have paused with my cup of joe is enough to spark warm fuzzy feelings every time I hold my warm mug in my hands.

As we continue through winter, I wish for you all that you are able to pause at a moment in your day and take a deep breath in that calming moment as you cradle your own warm cup of coffee in your hands.

The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce.  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., “Over the Teacups,” 1891

~400daystil40

 
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Posted by on February 7, 2012 in Diet, Health, Inspiration, Self-help, Work

 

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382 Days ’til 40: Silence

05 Feb

I tried to write a post on silence that looked like this:

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~400daystil40

But, alas, my partner told me that would be “cheating”.  I, personally, thought it was pretty clever.  Not clever enough to make the final blog cut, though.  That said, I thought I would write about silence anyhow.  I realize that this defeats the purpose a bit, because silence is silence and even the written word can be a nuisance in a silent moment.

I love quiet, I love everything about quiet.  The relaxation, the calm, the ability to get lost in my own thoughts (granted, sometimes they are not necessarily worth getting lost in and, at times, it takes a while to be found!)  But silence really can be heavenly.

In recent years one thing I have noticed is a group of people who do not like silence and quiet.  They always seem to need action and noise around them…. and I wonder….

Sometimes I wonder if this is because they cannot handle silence – they cannot handle what they find in the silence…….. themselves.  For some, silence can be bliss, for others, silence can be terrifying and lonely (or terrifyingly lonely).

I find that embracing the silence, and creating it when life becomes too frenetic, is a way to refresh, rejuvenate, revive.

Silence can allow us to take a big breath of fresh air and know that tomorrow is a new day.

Silence can give us the energy to cope with tomorrow, no matter what it might bring.

It is okay to be quiet, to take the time to discover and listen to that still small voice inside of you that can only be heard in those moments where you pause.  It is okay to question, okay to fear, okay to feel.  In those moments revelation can occur, new insights can be found, new directions can occur, and peace can be experienced.

Yours in quietude~

400daystil40

 
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Posted by on February 5, 2012 in Health, Inspiration, Self-esteem, Self-help

 

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