Gratitude Monday, thank goodness for you! Today I am snuggled up and writing beside a sleeping Annabelle. We are home in Virginia and for this I am glad. This morning I woke up, ate breakfast with my daughter, headed outside with her for a run, and took my time getting from Point A to Point B (which involved Starbucks and the swimming pool). As I think back on our trip to Connecticut last week, I realize now that I fail to appreciate how lucky I am to be able to spend time with my daughter, one on one, almost every day.
Of course, my husband and I enjoyed sharing her with her grandparents and cousins while we visited with them, but at the same time, we both admitted that we missed our Annabelle and wanted her back (my are we selfish parents! Though it’s a good sign, I think, that we both love spending time with our little girl).
Today I feel grateful for many parts of my life, and they are:
1. Friends. In the words of John Lennon, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” Old friends, new friends (who I always hope will grow to be old friends), parent friends, work friends. Everyone wants a friend. And, it is good to be with our friends. While visiting in Connecticut, I was lucky enough to cross paths with my old friend Abbie, who authors Farmer’s Daughter and is an exemplary environmentalist and teacher. I introduced her to Annabelle, toured her family’s farm market, and saw her beautiful home that is tucked away on a back road in Connecticut. Anais Nin spoke of friends, saying that each friend represents a world within us that is not born until we meet a particular friend; I couldn’t agree more. Old friends represent those past versions of ourselves, good and bad, and help us to stay connected to those older selves. Once upon a time, Abbie knew me as an idealistic English student who thought she would never marry or settle down in the world; learning and seeing the world were most important to me. Years later I have a husband and a child and am, for the most part, settled. My priorities have changed but indeed, my idealism endures. Thank you to Abbie for letting me remember who I was and being friends with the ever changing being that I am.
And then of course, I returned home to Virginia and couldn’t wait to dial up my girlfriends who I missed seeing over the last week. I also stopped by some of my favorite blogs to see what idealistic green folks/crafters/mammas are up to. I talked with my girlfriend Melody today and was reminded of why I am making certain life decisions and not others; Melody often has to say nothing and only offers me the chance to articulate my perception of the world and its goings on. I walk away from most conversations with her feeling like the weight of the world has been lifted, that life will work out in the long run, and that things will be okay. So, I thank goodness for my friends!
2. Connecticut. Once upon a time, my husband and I called Connecticut “home.” It is the place of our childhoods, where our families are, and where we got our starts in life. Each time we return home, we reconnect with our roots and of course, the people who made us who we are today. While our main purpose for going to Connecticut was to help out my husband’s brother after his bike accident, we also tried to fit in kid-friendly, mini-adventures in New Haven county. We drove up to East Rock in the Yale neighborhood of New Haven and peered out at a view of New Haven and Hamden (a sight that is both industrial and yet full of lush green woods), played in the sand and seaweed at Lighthouse Point in New Haven with my niece and nephew, and toured and hiked 2 nature/environmental parks with all 3 kids. Connecticut features much historic travel and natural beauty, much that I overlooked or simply did not know about during the many years I lived there.
3. Accessible Environmentalism. Being green is often easy, but getting started as an environmentalist can be daunting to say the least. While I was in Connecticut, 2 environmental centers we visited put big smiles on my face because they encouraged everyone, including kids, to care for the earth. The first center, Sleeping Giant Park showed visitors that being green is as easy as using “the John.” There, I saw this sign:
While I am not sure how Sleeping Giant Park recycles the sludge from their toilet systems, I am happy that any literate visitor, adult or child, can read this sign above the toilets; at the very least, folks may take notice that the local park is taking action on behalf of the environment. Perhaps readers of the sign will think about what they can do for our planet too? I can only hope so.
The second time I smiled was at the Kellogg Environmental Center. Kellogg E.C. encourages local schools, families, and the overall community to learn about the natural environment; their center features turtles swimming through a small tank (a great hands on activity for reluctant readers), as well as many exhibits about native animals and plants, as well as invasive species. However, the display that made me smile (and laugh too) discussed how to keep a compost and how to get our children involved. My nephew Charlie and I studied the processes involved and he giggled when I told him that worm poop helps create healthy, rich soil for our plants. I suppose I could have related the bigger ideas from this composting display more eloquently, but overall, I was excited to see that places like the Kellogg Environmental Center are working to include the next generation of environmentalists in the task of protecting and caring for our earth.
4. Earth Friendly Companies. In the coming week I plan to share details about my next free giveaway, a reusable bag created by a company that repurposes coffee bean sacks. Check in later this week to learn more.
5. Home. I think this post is testimony to my appreciation for being at home. Getting away for a bit is a great reminder to me that the mundane life is rich in meaning, that our problems are important (we can learn from them), and that tasks that seem tedious (like housework and diaper changing) are actually blessings in disguise (I like to think about world peace and improving living conditions around the world as I sweep floors, wash dishes, and yes, change diapers). My home really is my castle, and gosh, I have turned into quite a homebody. There really is no place like home.
And so those are my thoughts on the past week. Thank you for letting me share. Have a great week!
Green Mamma
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July 7th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I may steal that picture! Thanks for posting it. And I believe you were actually a Political Science major when I first met you. I believe I wanted to be a nurse then. How time changes us.
I do recall that you didn’t want to get married, but you did want to have children. I remember wondering how you could want to have children without being married, haha.
It was great to see you too, in person, although I felt like I already knew Matt and Annabelle from Green Mamma.
July 7th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Abbie, lol, I know. I never could make up my mind. I actually entered college as an art major but in the weeks before decided to switch to Poli Sci. I then studied anthropology, religious studies, and then decided that English seemed to touch on so many ideas and topics I loved (because, hey, literature and writing provide access to most areas of study). As for having children without being married, I am still a feminist even though I live like quite the traditionalist. Good men and women make wonderful single parents. Had I not met my husband, I am certain that one way or another I probably would have cared for a child (either as a mom or a teacher). But, thank goodness I did find him. He’s a great dad and husband, and taking care of a baby is much easier when there are at least 2 sets of hands (at least that is what I’ve been told).
Anyway, I am grateful that we had the chance to visit and that, hey, I got to meet you in the first place.