Day 3,022

Growth:

As a family we continue to push and motivate each other to more than we would likely do on our own. Thanks to wanting to keep up with my sons while hiking on our next adventures I hit the gym for a solid Saturday workout. Gavin asked Dominic to lead him in a speed workout for track. They pushed each other and Dominic worked Gavin so hard that Gavin tossed his cookies at the end of the run… twice. The motivation of Dominic helped Gavin push himself further than he likely would have on his own. 

Tonight I’m very appreciative for the ways we help push and motivate each other as a family.

Appreciation:

Life is sometimes about balance and counterbalance. Last night I wrote about being grateful for the high umber of connections I made throughout the day. So much of my day was spent in interactions with others and engaging with them. Today has been very much the opposite and I’m just as appreciative of it.

The morning kicked off with a short conversation with Dominic before we all split up to go our separate ways for our workouts this morning. I had my AirPods in while I knocked out 90 minutes of solo stairclimbing with no interaction with anyone else in the gym. Dominic and I were going in different directions afterwards and I was off to pick up Gavin before Dominic left for work. Gavin and I talked for a little while on our drive, but then it was off to showers and then lunch. We took Leia for a four mile hike and spent much of it in silence as we both took in the stillness of the forest. Some more interaction on our way home and then I was off to the grocery store. 

At the store my AirPods were in and I enjoyed one of my favorite solo experiences – listening to music amongst a crowd of people. I was in the world, but not of the world. I know, sounds goofy, but it feels amazing to find a pocket of “aloneness” in the midst of a crowd. 

More quick interactions with Gavin as we unloaded groceries, and then he was off to hang out with his buddies. As I type I’m surrounded by the cacophony of laughter that is exploding up from the basement stairs. They’re obviously having a blast and I’m enjoying the second hand sounds of it. 

It’s largely been a day of disconnectedness and I’m grateful for it. Such a beautiful counterbalance to yesterday!

Presence:

For ninety minutes I climbed steps to nowhere while sweating my butt off and smiling the entire way. I had my audiobook on and just kept putting one foot in front of the other for much longer than I’d planned. My hope was to do about half of what I did, but I was feeling great and decided to keep on going. 

In many ways it reminded me of the state of mind I used to get into during long distance runs, when I was kind of zoning out to the world, but traveling inward and listening to and engaging with my thoughts with so much more clarity than other times in life. The ongoing monotony of the motion kind of creates its own stillness, not too different than what I wrote about a couple of days ago with watching the hourglass.

Ninety minutes of a churning calm, ninety moments of presence.

Thanks!!!