Last week and this weekend…
I had a big week last week. It started with a visit to Homegirl Cafe on Monday afternoon…which was terrific! It included a Girl Scouts sponsored visit to Utica, NY where I conducted four inspiring WhyTry workshops with junior high school girls at Comfort Zone. Finally, the entire week peaked on Friday when I watched my youngest brother graduate from Fresno State with honors!
The week was so full that I needed a long weekend to relax. I actually needed an extra long weekend because in anticipation of finally having “nothing to do” I missed a couple of things…among my misses this weekend that cannot be made up: a very important friend’s going away party, and calling my writing partner for her birthday.
(If either of you are reading, I really appreciate you both and wish I had not missed out!!!)
I don’t have any big advice. No big memorial day celebrations here either, though I thought about keeping the memory of those that sacrifice the most. I hope that in the future, when I have children, that they enjoy the freedoms that I enjoy. I hope that they get to know an even better America, and that their politicians face differences in the world with a healthier curiosity and appreciation. For all the progress we’ve made in the US we have also taken a few major steps backward. This should be familiar to most of us — it’s a growing pain. Making progress in life, personal life, career life, or family life, it’s all filled with ups and downs.
What I’ve realized in my own life is that as I make “progress” I also create paths to stand in my own way. As I get more busy and successful in work, I miss family. As I take time for family, I miss friends. I seek “balance” but on a certain level I know that there are always sacrifices. As the world grows closer, as we make “progress” we might think in advance about what we sacrifice and what we gain. It will help us plan our route more carefully.
With great respect and love for those that are young, for the graduates, the girls scouts, the homegirls, and all of the soldiers…I wish I could instantly give you hope. I wish I could give you an answer. But all I can say is appreciate where you are now and hold on tight to what you love because you will change, things will change, and some day years from now you will remember and long for the comforts you found last week or this weekend.