“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!” I’ve always loved this quote by Hunter Thomspon.
And oh, how I still do.
But this year, after rounding the curve of forty, while building a business and a house, while both kids are entering the puberty years, it sort of feels like the “thoroughly used up and worn out” part came earlier than the skidding in broadside in a cloud of smoke with a joy ride proclamation!
My friend Wendi gathers this lovely group of women once a quarter, with the sole purpose of supporting, connecting and inspiring one another. It’s the AC3 group and if you’ve been around here long, you’ve met them before. We met last Thursday for our quarterly gathering. (Thursday was a big day for me, hence I’m wearing the same outfit in yesterday’s blog post and in the livestream announcement about “GNO at home”! I’m clearly not trying to win any avant garde fashion awards.) Just before we met, Wendi updated the calendar invite with our “homework” for the evening, sending the room full of Type A’s into a mini-panic attack. “What’s your word for the year? Be prepared to share it with the group.”
Wait, what?
I didn’t select a word for the year. I haven’t even ordered my “Christmas cards” yet. Vanessa took our family photos in October and turned them around in a flash, but I completely failed at prioritizing cards this year. (Oh I’m still planning on it. . .Happy Valentine’s Day folks!) I saw the note about the word and figured I’d just come up with something on the fly. But while all the other ladies were sharing their words and their well thought-out reasoning behind them, it occured to me that I do have a word for this year. It’s been at the forefront of my mind since October. It’s the reason I didn’t order Christmas cards.
My word is “rest”.
As I explained that outloud to the group, it quickly became evident that rest looks different for everyone. My word being “rest” in the middle of giant momentum in this business I’m building seems incongruent, at best. But after the pace of last year, my mind, body and soul are longing for rest. To me, rest has looked like letting emails pile up. It’s been going to bed with work left still left to do. It’s been walking past the five boxes of mine that are yet to be unpacked, staring them down for a minute, leaving them there and walking away. It meant letting Christmas and New Years pass with no card. It meant planning my “Team Holiday Party” as a “Galentines Brunch”.
What feels like rest to you?
To some people, rest feels like hours of binge-watching Netflix. To others it’s a bathtub with a good book. To others it’s a long leisurely walk. I’ve always thought that to me, rest meant “sleep”. Full stop. But lately I’m learning that rest can take on different forms in all different seasons.
This year, “rest” is in gathering with my people.
Of course there is work in the preparation, but I BREATHE in the gathering. We’ve had loads of gatherings of all different groups since we moved in. We’ve broken bread with neighbors, family, new friends and lifelong friends. This year, I want more of that. Bring me all the gatherings with the people I love. Give me grace for only doing the things that matter most to me in that moment. It doesn’t mean I’m backing down on my work. In fact, it’s breathing new life into my work at such crucial moment.
What does rest look like to you this year?
Whatever it is. . . get you some.
to more love,
Crystal
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