A new way of life

It seems lately like I am living in a parallel universe. I have been a full time mom for 21 years and all of a sudden here I am a working mom. I am at times distracted, sometimes so filled with absolute joy at the people I get to interact with, be with, share and talk with.

Sometimes at the end of the day I just want to curl up and be quiet, but that is when family life truly begins around our dinner table. It is where my husband wants my attention, when the boys are quick to call me on being absent if my mind wonders. There are days where I wonder if my friends will ever let me fully back in. Our lunches are farther, and fewer apart and yet there are my closest of friends, who are always there. Where a day is not complete with out our exchange of daily banter or deep conversation depending on the moment, day or week. These are friends that are on my journey they are not going anywhere nor am I.

When I am in doubt which is not too often a day like today comes along...

Today I had a group over made up of 10 woman. Some were clients, some great supporters of Mindful or who I met through workshops I have given to them or their kids. One a friend of a friend who has missed the mindful mornings and wanted to. She was someone who instantly warms your heart and puts you at ease. They were all so dynamic, so interesting and all claiming to be so inspired by the workings of Mindful. To my lunch buddies today I want to thank you. The inspiration comes from each of you. To making new deep relationships with women I deeply respect. Thank you for giving your time to me and honoring all of us here today by being very present, very in the moment and very candid with the sharing of dreams and aspirations. I am at times pinching myself. Let dreams continue...xo ginny

continuation

My trip continued from NY to Chicago where my 2nd son goes to school. I was meeting my niece, I wanted her to join me to spend time reconnecting with me and her cousin. I wanted a shopping mate as my 4 sons do not fit the bill.

She is as of yesterday 26, busy in school, exercising away, helping me in my intent to get ginnybakes out there. She is rebuilding a life that was put on hold for awhile. What did I discover? ...a beautiful woman who has clarity in her dreams, strong intentions, a deep love of family , and a great deal of poise and grace. I loved our deep conversations as well as relearning her nuances. We sat on a rock by the water, for a couple of hours gazing into the churning lake watching the boundless energy of dogs at play, the sun setting, the coldness coming in. It was magical to sit there with my sister's child talking about her mother's childhood. It was a bridge that brought memories flooding back of a childhood I hadn't spoken about in forever. It was time at its best. I love you Jenna Gayle.

Jody

How does this blog tie into Mindfulness...not sure you be the judge. I guess it is more on the quality of the relationships you keep and being perhaps mindful that all our relationships take work. How much do we want to put in and what truly are the rewards?

This past week I went on an a little odessey of my own. Walked out of my life for a week and went up to NY to attend an intense weekend at The School of Integrative Nutrition where I am taking a course load. Generally it is distance learning, but this was an intense weekend of live lectures. On Sunday night when the weekend was over my friend Jody, her husband and their daughter picked me up in the city and we drove out to their hometown on the Island. This is the same town we grew up in. I left when I was 11 Jody has lived there all of her life. We met I guess you could say in utero, if that is possible. Our parents were and still are close friends, by now on their journey, family...It felt like I was losing a little touch with Jod the phone calls were becoming less frequent, it just seemed like a big deal to pick up the phone when there was so much to catch up on. I knew, know and understand though this relationship is one that I will never let go. It was time for a visit. She is my history and I hers. She looked at one of my kids when they were 2 and announced OMG its your face and could tell me what picture to relate back to. She is the one that remembers all my childhood ways and I am her keeper. We are now mothers with kids starting to build their own separate life and think of their own futures. We are woman scared and anxious about the next steps, but both of us dynamic and wanting to emerge with new interests, drive and dreams. We check each others faces to see if the year that passed between visits has shown a mark. We are each others marker, both of us athletic (she is now doing the 30 day bikram challenge 2 classes a day, and a survivor of a boot camp the likes of which I never heard before). She is family, she is friend, she is my sister. She is the only one I would put side my phobias and sleep downstairs in her basement, in the guest room that seems very far from everyone else. Ties that bind, these is a gift, one that I will never take for granted. We have decided for us the best way to communicate is now texting. Technology has given us a way to reformat our communication. I am grateful we have been so busy chatting away. I love it and I love her. Thanks Jod for always being in my life.

I will continue the unfolding of the trip tomorrow as I share more of what I learned.

xo ginny