Thursday's Thought

This week finds our little family in a brief lull between travels. We enjoyed an island escape over the long holiday weekend, and the babe and I depart for the Midwest today. In the interim there has been unpacking, laundry, and repacking to swap out bathing suits for snow gear. We have run errands, restocked the fridge, attended to the cat, and tidied up the house. As we go about our familiar rhythms, it has been tempting to see the transition as wasted time - just enough of a pause to tackle the most mundane pieces of life.

But I am beginning to realize these moments - seemingly insignificant though they are - comprise our lives. We prefer to focus on the highlights: exploring a tropical paradise, visiting friends and family, celebrating holidays and special occasions, but our identities are shaped by where we spend most of our time: trips to buy groceries and pick up drycleaning - preparing and consuming meals - the toddler's evening rhythm of bathtime, books, and bed. It is in these mundane moments that relationships form and deepen, ideas introduce themselves, thoughts develop, and we become who we are.

Next time you find yourself looking ahead in search of the next "important" thing on your agenda, stop and appreciate exactly where you are in this unique moment. This, too, is a critical part of your journey. Embrace it.