I've still got a lot to say

A few months ago, when I could finally watch TV again (I’ll explain later), I saw an episode of Super Soul Sunday that struck me. Jimmy Carter, who’s been married to his wife Rosalynn for 71 years,  offered this tip on how to keep a relationship fresh:  Take up a new hobby together every few years like fly-fishing or downhill skiing.

I liked this advice. It felt doable. 

Not completely unrelated, I have been busy doing. I’ve thought about this space often, and here and there, some of you have asked me when I was coming back here. 

I haven’t not written because I was busy watching Oprah or doing things. Many times I drafted a post and then second and third guessed it and myself,  wondering if you’d want to know the mundane thing I’d written about and also if I should tell you about it in the first place.

Also the kids.

They’re older and wiser now. They know things. They know about Facebook. And posts. And “online”.  Sometimes their friends tell them about a picture I posted the night before – it usually goes like this:

• Friend-kid peeks over mom’s shoulder while she’s taking a quick (much deserved) social media break.
• Friend-kid recognizes my kid in the feed and asks mom about it.
• Friend-kid’s mom chuckles and explains my witty post.
• Next day friend-kid tells my kid about the post.
• That night my kid reads me the riot act.

But you’re not here to learn that my kids ate my homework and that they’re the sole reason I haven’t written in this space for almost two years.

So how about this?  Come back here from time-to-time. Look around. I’ll start tinkering.  I’ll post about some things that aren’t just kid-related. I’ll even update the “About me” page eventually, maybe design a new header. 

Schedule a social media break with me because I’ve still got a lot to say. Like how we bought a trailer this spring. And what a good thing it's been.

The trailer goes wherever the van pulls it. Yet we find that the trailer pulls us. It's a place in our hearts now; somewhere we yearn to go. We are our better selves at the trailer. Maybe it's the fresh air. Maybe it's the small space we must share. Maybe it's the sun-filled light that helps us see each other anew.

Life is simpler there:

“Cards or a walk in the woods?”

“Forgot to bring ketchup?  We’ll make do with barbecue sauce.”

There is teamwork:

“You get the fire started, and I’ll make the beds.”

Kinder more gentle voices are heard:

“Go sit down, you deserve to relax.”  

It's not fly-fishing but I think Jimmy Carter knows what he's talking about. You really can find new ways to travel through life together.