Tuesday, September 9, 2014

how to (reallly) be alive

Today I was in a mad dash hurry. Grey's therapy ended early at 11:30 while Parker's went until 12. I had the brilliant idea to run to the grocery store on the corner during the thirty minute window. On the way to the store I witnessed a little boy and his father walking down the side street. The little boy was probably 2 or 3 years old. He had a ball cap and tan cargo shorts on just like dad. They were holding hands and going slow. Grey and I took our lickety split trip to the market- just picking up a few essentials. 

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On the way back from the store I notice the same father and son duo just now approaching the end of the street. Woah- that stinks- I can't believe it took them all that time to walk up the street, I thought. I went to the grocery store and back in that amount of time! We were caught at the light so I just watched them. The dad stayed at his son's pace- there was no rushing. The man somehow opened his pocket and took out a sippy cup without letting go of his precious little guy's hand. 

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The little boy was looking up at his dad in admiration and they were perfectly wrapped up in their every day conversation and suddenly I couldn't look away. I realized it was me that had it all wrong. That actually doesn't suck that it took that long. I was clearly witnessing one of those mundane everyday moments that make love and life so stinking precious. I took mental notes from this duo- notes on how to do life right:

Hold hands, notice details, go slow. 


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What if kids were all stressed out and constantly busy? Mowing the lawn and paying bills and stressing over traffic. Wouldn't that be funny? No wait- it would actually be HORRIBLE. Thank goodness we have kids around to teach us how to be.


I'm not scared of the dentist, or the dark but sometimes I'm scared that I'm so busy living that I forget to be alive.


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Back in the beautiful land of Los Angeles, California I would go running from our house to the beach after work each day. Whoot whoot, someone would on occasion call out to me. Pig, I would always think, annoyed. Fast forward four years and another kid later. I was walking in the parking lot at a busy intersection the other day when I heard it. Whoot whoot was screamed out of a car to me. No- they can't mean me. I look around and I am the only one standing there. They must have meant... Me? My face breaks into a big smile. I get into the car and talk to myself in the rear view mirror. Oh yeah girl. You still got it. Behold the Woo'er: From pig to hero; Oh my how times have changed.

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So I really took my advice last week. I flipped the coin for everything that scared, annoyed and angered me. Every time I would feel the familiar itch of uncomfortable I would try it. I LOVE being 40! I am FABULOUS. I feel so AT PEACE WITH MY AGE AND MY EXTRA SMARTNESS. 

I am SO EXCITED ABOUT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO SEND GREY TO SCHOOL! I LOVE NEW BEGINNINGS. 

TRAFFIC IS GOOD BECAUSE IT REMINDS ME TO TAKE MY TIME. MEAN PEOPLE ARE JUST SAD SO I WILL EXTRA SEND LOVE TO THEM!  It's gonna take a bit for some of those neurons to connect, but I'm willing to try.

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Sometimes I feel like too much. Much too much. I say too much. I share too much. I talk too much. I feel too much. I think TOO MUCH. I everything much too much. But I thought about it- and most of my friends are too much too. But I don't think of them as too much. I think of them as JUST Right. So maybe I am just right too. And I bet you are too, friend. Too much is the new "just right".

And in the spirit of just right- my newest favoritest song in the whole wide universe. Like on constant repeat over and over again. I promise it will make you LAUGH and smile and feel alive. 


They tell us from the time we're young to hide the things that we don't like about ourselves, inside ourselves. I know I'm not the only one who spent so long attempting to be someone else. Well I'm over it. I DON'T CARE IF THE WORLD KNOWS WHAT MY SECRETS ARE.

Love,
Chrissy

11 comments:

  1. Oh momma you are so right. This has been on my heart lately, but how quickly we forget... We need these constant reminders to savior the slow. It truly is frightening, the thought of hustling so hard through adulthood that we lose all the moments that mean the most. Always enjoy your writing.

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  2. I am "too much" too. That's probably why I love you and what you have to say...

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  3. I am "too much" too. Thank you for helping us see the beauty in that. Thank you for sharing yourself with us!

    Leora

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  4. Love this post. I rush almost 7 days a week for this or that. I do have to get up early all 7 days. Weekend afternoons are my only times usually with no definite routine places to be. I was with my 21 year old driving with myself driving. She asked why I was driving so slow, was I high or something? I looked and was doing the speed limit. I explained it was nice to not have to be on the adrenaline rush of having to be there in a hurry and speeding to make it. The weekend afternoons was my time. I will use that time to focus on being alive. Thanks for the reminder. Just to let you know last week, as I was melting down with anxiety over some things, I did flip the coin and how my outlook changed and all suddenly relaxed and went well. THANKS! - Janet (Texas)

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    1. PS I too love the video and am "too much" in many ways too. I definitely talk too much (as you can tell by my long posts!

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  5. Good grief, the things I could have done if I would have figured out So What at that young woman's age! It is sad the time I wasted, understanding what is really important to me in this life. But, I am happy to know now, and to continue to learn how to live life accordingly. Steven Tyler sang "Life's a journey, not a destination". It can be tough to live that way when we are rushing toward bedtime, or the weekend, or football season, or summer vacation. The beauty is in the getting, not the got.
    thank you thank you thank you, my friend <3
    Love & happiness to you, sweet Momma. xoxo Miracle

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  6. I love this Chrissy, "Don't be so busy living that you forget to be alive". (I think I could also say this about worrying)
    Also it makes me happy to see "flip it" working for you and others too. It lifts me up. Now I must go about my day and remember it myself!

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  7. I love this! It's an awesome reminder to stop and slow down. I keep trying to remember to do just that. Thank you!
    (PS Your graphic is missing the 'R' in "forget". I thought you'd like to know.)

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  8. This is so perfect--just the reminder I need tonight. Not caring what my secrets are=freedom.

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  9. Just heard this on my way to work this morning!! I love it!! I immediately texted my 16 year old daughter and told her to listen to this.... This is me and it should be for the future generation.. I'm going to teach her early so she don't get near forty and still worry about being something she doesn't have to be!!

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  10. Thanks for this. I am definitely too much.

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