That horrible, heartbreaking day. It’s one you’ll never forget. It could have happened just last week, last month or even several years ago. No matter how long ago it happened, it still hurts, it still brings tears to your eyes, and yes…it still matters.
Our boys are movie lovers. They must get it from their Dad because I’ve said on more than one occasion “Life is too short, and movies are too long!” Don’t get me wrong, I do watch movies. Sometimes it’s nice to snuggle up on the couch with a blanket and popcorn and get lost in a really good story. I just don’t love movies as much as most people. Admittedly, I haven’t seen a lot of the most popular movies, like Stand By Me and Top Gun. Friends of mine were recently appalled by this!
A few weeks back at my son’s basketball game, I saw another parent sitting on the sidelines reading a book. Honestly, my first reaction was: I wonder why? Then I realized I had that thought based on my own personal situation.
It’s where I learned to play Capture the Flag, made lifelong friends, and learned to canoe – which I still love to this day. It’s where I caught frogs and turtles, learned the importance of sunscreen for a pale, redheaded kid, and where I learned a crazy amount of camp songs…that I now proudly teach my own kids! Anyone for a verse of ‘Going on a Lion Hunt’? Summer Camp. I spent every single summer at camp as a kid. And you know what? I loved every minute of it. I loved all the games, the sports and the exploring! I loved spending afternoons building sandcastles with the other kids. I even loved the day I got hit in the eye with a baseball and my brother ran over and yelled “Look at all the blood!”. I had a massive black eye and got five stitches across my eyebrow. I…
How can you care for those you love if you don’t make time to care for yourself?
Hygge (pronounced Hue-ga).
If you haven’t heard of it…well, that’s impossible! You can’t go online these days without at least seeing the word here and there. If you’re really not that familiar with the concept, though, “Hygge” is a Danish word that roughly translates into a culture full of everything cozy, warm, and relaxing.
When the holidays roll around each year, we all feel the pressure to give our children a magical, memorable Christmas. Sometimes, that means we end up putting a ridiculous number of gifts under the tree. I mean, we all want to see those little faces light up, right? But if you think back to previous Christmases, how many of those gifts were played with for a day or two and then cast aside? How many were broken within the first week? (I’ve lost count with our youngest!) So, wouldn’t it be better to give our children fewer, but more thoughtful, gifts that they’ll REALLY love and appreciate?