I make my morning cup of tea, let the dog outside, give a holler to my teenage daughter to wake up, start breakfast, help pack her a good healthy lunch (being new to ‘wheat free’ isn’t so easy), send my goodbyes as she heads out to school (hopefully on time), wait for the text saying she got to school safely (new driver). Then I take a deep breath. I let the dog outside, start my breakfast again(mine usually comes later), let the dog back inside, feed the dog, let him back outside, feed the cat, let the dog back inside, make sure the cat and the dog do not end up in the same room or a fight begins, eat my breakfast, take a shower, make another cup of tea and spend some quiet time praying and meditating on my day before I head up to my office to work.
There are these days when I don’t know where to begin. The days when it seems like you are walking in circles never really accomplishing anything. My intentions seem good, but I’ve been a huge morning procrastinator lately. This whole morning process seems to take me a good couple of hours from start to finish. I go over in my head what I need to accomplish on this day personally, for my family and for my business. I used to write it all down in a large list, but then I realized if I didn’t finish that hard copy list, I would be working til late in the evening until it was complete. Now if I forget something on my mental list, it doesn’t matter so much, because no one sees it and I can’t remember it, so it doesn’t really matter until I remember the next day.:) It eventually all comes together.
On any given day for my business list, I might have photos to edit, prints to deliver, invoices to create, prints to order, emails to send out, clients to contact, appointments to make, advertisements to create, writing to do, photo shoots to prepare for, accounting work, marketing projects to work on, and the next day, usually the same type of list.
On my personal mental list I may have the following: tea time, quiet prayer time, grocery shopping, errands to run, appointments to make, laundry to take care of, feed the dog, if I am lucky- walk the dog, feed the cat, lunch with a friend, volunteer work for the H3O Women’s Ministry, tea time again, call my parents, call my college daughter (or text), go for a walk, prepare dinner, appointments to schedule, dishes to do, cleaning up the house (well that is one of my biggest procrastinations), being present for my daughter when she returns from school and being present for my husband when he returns from work, and hoping to all sit down to dinner together before the evening kicks in, not to mention whatever else comes up on any given day.
This might seem like just an ordinary day to many people, but I have grown quite used to enjoying the routine of what seems pretty uneventful and monotonous, yet somehow peaceful and serene in my own little busy world. Because I am aware of how situations and health can change in a heart beat, and I know what it is like to have a bad health day vs a good health day.
This morning during my prayer/meditation time, an overwhelming feeling of gratitude came over me, when I realized how grateful I am to have such a full life with all these little things that make up my day. Yes I do complain sometimes, about the monotonous things, like the constant influx of dishes in the sink, the dog that needs to go out 20 times a day (yes, he is bored, high energy and sometimes manipulative:) and that the cold winter seems to go on and on here in New England, and how I really look forward to my warm spring walks with my dog and my girlfriends, sometime soon. And I really look forward to my outdoor photo sessions when its a little bit warmer.
However, when I think of those people who are lonely, or without a home or a friend, or a purpose or passion, it makes me feel like all my little ‘to do’s’ each day, are more than significant, they are real blessings from God. So many people are suffering in so many ways around me each day, whether they are battling an illness or grieving the loss of a loved one, or trying to makes ends meet to put food on the table for their family. Everyone has a cross to carry, at some point in their lives. With my parents aging, and my mom who is currently hospitalized, I realize how fragile, yet blessed, at the same time, life can be. And I am learning that there are real challenges that come along with taking care of my own family, managing my business and overseeing my women’s ministry, while trying to be there for those other moments that come up unexpectedly. This is when all those other things become less of a priority, and in just a blink of an eye.
So on this day, this ordinary chilly Spring day in New England, that seems the same as yesterday and most likely tomorrow, I give thanks to God for all that He has done for me and the people I love, even during the difficult times.
Today was a low key day, so I had the urge to pick up my camera and photograph some of those things that are a part of my ordinary days just as they are most likely a part of your day. I share this not to bore you, but to express my deep gratitude through the daily tasks we do each day, and to bring them to light, as a way of giving thanks for all that I am blessed with and able to accomplish for my family, for my friends, for God and even for my pets, each day.
My morning ritual of making tea, I can’t start the day without it, problem is it is my go to excuse for procrastinating.
This is probably about the 5th time today that our dog Bodie rings ‘his door bells’ to go outside. I am not sure at which point he is playing around with me or when he really needs to go. 10 minutes later he is looking for a playmate. (Sorry bud, I have things I am trying to accomplish and can’t play ball with you, again.)
The never ending pile of dishes in my sink. I think that the St Patty’s day leprechaun is still around adding new dishes to the pile. Along with the never ending baskets of laundry that sit on our dining room table unfolded. Thank you to my awesome husband, this is one task that he took away from me, and I will not fight to get it back.
Several times a day, our elderly cat who was recently diagnosed with 60% kidney failure, meows to get into the bathroom, then meows to drink water from the faucet of the tub. We proceed to turn on the faucet and he hangs out in the bathroom for a good hour drinking and napping until he is ready to head back down to his bed to sleep away a good part of the day. I take this as a good sign that he is trying to stay hydrated to help extend his life. But we know to be careful if we need to shower because he will come running when he hears the water. (no he really is not trying to use the tub as a litter box although it appears this way in the photo:)!
The cold March wind and winter like temps are playing with my brain, I cannot get warm enough, and so here I go to make another cup of hot tea.
When this cozy fire is blazing, how can I possibly head back to work
Back to the office to regroup. This is where I spend a lot of my time when I am not on location shooting.
My corner of the world where a lot of editing and communicating with my clients takes place.
Before I know it my daughter is home from school and headed off again to dance. I look forward to seeing her when she comes home. And I treasure every moment when she is home because I know how quickly time goes by when they are in high school. A quick good-bye and she is on her way.
This is just a snapshot of my day and I thank you for taking a moment to read about it. Think about picking up your camera and taking some pics of your usual day to keep for generations to come. You may be surprised at how grateful it makes you feel for all the little things that you take for granted.
Wishing you many ordinary days.
-Sharon
