This week, I’ve been running on fumes. Between Monday and Tuesday, I had barely slept a total of nine hours and was in desperate need of coffee. I made a quick stop downstairs at our café in the office and when I tried to pay, I was told that the person who had checked out before me had covered it. It was such a kind and surprising gesture, and changed the trajectory of my entire day.
How often does the simplest of gestures stop us in our tracks? My answer is, all the time. I just need to remember to be paying attention.
Last year at this time, I had been marveling about being given the gift of time. With my go-go-go mentality and constantly moving from one activity to the next, I found a healthy way to slow down. I donated time and energy to the causes I wanted to support, attended every one of my kids’ events at their schools, immersed myself in nature on long walks, enjoyed leisurely time and uninterrupted conversations (and coffee!) with my family, and allowed myself to rest more than I have over the last decade. I wrote letters and sent care packages just because. I was grateful for the simpler things. I was present. I was involved. I was able to say yes more often, and I recognized opportunities as what they were.
So when spring rolled around and we had a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity to join the July cohort in Sintra, Portugal, Anthony and I knew the answer was yes. With just over two months to prepare, our first order of business was scheduling our kids’ passport appointments and then working to “undo” our schedules in July – camps, Sophia’s birthday bash, a concert. It was all “small stuff,” Anthony said, and I’m good at logistics. We cleared our commitments, packed up our most-needed items (it wasn’t easy), and off we went on the most unique adventure to date – excited, anxious, and grateful.
Four weeks abroad did our family good. We realized, early on, that we didn’t need a lot to experience a whole heck of a lot. We savored our core family moments walking to and from school, embracing the culture, meeting new people, trying incredible food, and exploring what soon felt like our town. Anthony and I looked forward to our mornings together to grab pastries and coffee before setting off on a hike to a castle or a hill to climb (there were many) for sweeping views of the lush landscape, with Old City below. Our kids made us proud with their resilience and bravery. We said yes (because when would we have another chance?). We did things that scared us. We did things that moved us.
Thinking back to that trip, I’m reminded of kindness, of community, of love for one another. I’m reminded of the small stuff, because in the end it’s those ordinary moments that fill our days. I’m reminded to do things because they scare me. And I’m reminded to find that healthy rhythm again that drives and invigorates me.
This Thanksgiving, I’m opting in. I choose to be thankful. I say yes to helping my neighbors and paying it forward. I treasure the time that I’m given… because it truly is a gift.
How often does the simplest of gestures stop us in our tracks? My answer still is, all the time. And I’m all in.
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