Our friend, Toria, sent an email out to her sister friends this week speaking of the promises – not resolutions – that she is making to herself this year. Her thoughts were with me as I set out to write this morning.
So often we start a new year off with resolutions to ourselves that we do not keep. It is often a matter of trying to continue or conclude unfinished business: weight loss goals, career goals, repairs around the house, more diligence with our finances, etc. But instead of resolving to stay committed to those things that, quite frankly, should be routine or are just a part of life’s journey I asked myself how often have I made a promise to commit to things that really fulfilled my spirit?
Chris returns to work this morning after a two-week break, and while I’m sad to see him go back I am also invigorated by the time we have spent together. We had more hours of cuddling, late-night talks and quality time with our son in the last two weeks than we had throughout the entirety of 2013, and I awakened this morning feeling fulfilled and determined to bring our lives to a place where that experience occurs more frequently than once a year.
Yes, I willl continue on my own health and career trajectories, and yes there are still many projects in our home that I would like to tackle. Finances are always at the forefront of my mind, be it this year or the next. However, the only thing I’ll promise to myself this year is to spend more quality time with my family doing very little of nothing. I will stand still in many moments with them and thank God for giving us some time to do that. We will play Eli’s many board games, plant fresh fruits and vegetables in our garden, eat more meals around the table and less around the television, and take some walks after dinner to keep our unit tight and focused on what we do have. It fulfills all of us when we spend that kind of time and it is evidenced by the “love sandwiches” (Eli’s term for a multiple person hug) we give each other before bedtime.
I wish the same for all of you in 2014. Our health, career, and financial goals are a part of our journeys and not going anywhere. What makes reaching them important is the quality of life we live in this moment.
What promises can you make to yourself that will keep you feeling uplifted throughout 2014?