Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway once wrote the shortest short story: For sale: baby shoes, never worn.
I am revisiting an oldie but goodie writing prompt today.
Here is my six-word memoir:
Wordless Wednesday
Travel Movies To Watch When Those Vacation Blues Hit Hard
Photo By: Aaron Burden, Unsplash
I love to travel. It’s when I am happiest. I almost wrote, most happiest…because yes it is a superlative feeling. However, my next vacation is long way from now, and that can be downright depressing if I don’t manage those feelings.
On top of that, my Instagram feed is not making me feel any better. Since it seems like everybody and their mother is travelling to some exotic destination, trying IG perfect food and of course posting about it. Then there is me. Scrolling through my feed, unhappily double-tapping on each photo…because while I am in serious need of a jet fuel fix, I cannot look away.
Travel Via A Movie Night
Until better can be done, how do I handle my vacation envy? By travelling as far as Netflix and the ‘Movie’ folder on my laptop can take me. Here are some of my favourite feel-good travel movies.
Under the Tuscan Sun: Though not on Netflix, this is one of my all time favourite travel movies. What would my life be like, if I packed up and moved to Tuscany? Fancussingtastic is what! Diane Lane is healing up from a broken-heart, in one of the most beautiful places I daydream of visiting. Plus, she buys a white dress, that makes me want to buy a white dress and make a big romantic gesture as well!
Wild: Because this is extreme hiking in along the Pacific Crest Trail and it ends at one of my travel bucket list destinations – The Bridge of Gods.
Me Before You: Though not a very happy ending and not your typical ‘travel’ movie, the visuals are pretty and the theme of living your best life while you can, makes this a winner for me. Plus, by the end of the movie, I wanted to visit Paris too!
The 100-Foot Journey: This movie set in southern France makes me hungry every.single.time. And it is a reminder, that my second favourite thing about visiting a new place…it trying the food.
The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty: This is no Eat, Pray, Love. And I could stop here and that should be enough. But Walter hates his job and daydreams about a happier, more adventurous life. Something I can relate to…not so much the hating my job part. Anyways, Walters goes on a trek that involves some stunning locations around the world.
Up: Because no matter your age, adventure is out there!
Now it’s your turn, help me travel even further and share your own favourites below!
The One Where I Had No Phone For A Few Days But I’m Still Grateful
Photo By: Bart Anestin, Unsplash
To some people this may not sound like a good thing, but my phone fell last week and the screen completely shattered. Like splinters in my finger, when I attempted to ‘swipe to unlock’ kinda shattered. I ended up spending a few days not having a working phone. And somehow I was okay.
Today I’m sharing seven things I discovered I’m grateful for, because I had no phone for a few days:
Silence
My number one favourite thing about not having a phone was the blessed silence of no notifications. No pings, dings or chimes alerting to this message or that email. It was eerily silent the first day, but then it got better and I remembered how much I actually like silence.
Games Night With The Fam
My brother and his wife has their house-warming this past week. Because they just moved in and there are still some things to be done, we ended up playing the game Taboo and our local version Doh Say Dat. It was so refreshing to have family time and I wasn’t looking at my phone every chance I got.
My phone Is No Longer An Extension Of My Hand
I used to say, very seriously too, that if my phone was ever lost, I would also be missing a hand. Because the two are never parted. When your phone is useless, trust me, you find other uses for your hand. Like preparing a nutritious meal and holding a newly minted toddler’s hand.
Being Present To The Present
Youuu guuuuysss…I left my phone home pretty much the entire time and I didn’t feel like a fish outta water. I knew that even if it rang or a message came through I had no way of responding. And I was okay. I wasn’t wondering who was messaging or calling or posting. Nope! The only thing that interested me was what was happening right in front of me.
I Could Manage To Have A Meal Without Snapping a Photo Of It First
Who knew this was even possible right?
No FOMO
This one truly surprised me. I really thought I would miss Instagram, I did not.
I Did Not Die
Yup! I survived.
So that’s my seven for this week. On Mondays, “we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.” 7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow.
I hope that by continuing to pay attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead.
Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire.
Make those seconds count!
I love hearing from you…have you ever gone a few days without a phone? How was that experience for you? Feel free to share below!
Endings, Beginnings And Blessings
Photo by: Scott Webb, Unsplash
Endings, Beginnings And Blessings
Endings are beginnings that are really blessings! Today marks the end of my personal challenge, to blog everyday for a month. When I started writing today’s post, which is actually #34 written this month *brushes shoulders off*, four of them will be published later in July. All I could hear was Leslie’s voice from The Hangover movie saying, “but did you die?”
Nope! I blogged every day for 30 days and I didn’t die. It is also the start of my blogging journey once again. Getting back into writing because I love it and publishing…because I wont die when I do.
It’s also a FRIDAY, which seems the perfect day to end my blog challenge. It’s Five Minute Friday time and our word prompt this week is BLESSING. Another full circle moment if you ask me. Because this blogging community is such a huge blessing in my life.
You can join in too. The rules are pretty simple – write for 5 minutes on the word prompt for the week and post to your blog, then add your post to the linky party over at the Five Minute Friday community.
Setting timer now…
GO
Today, marks the end of a chapter for me. It was my last day on my current desk within a department I practically grew up in. On Monday, I move to a new department, new desk, new people, new culture. This move was even more poignant, because I was not unhappy with my work.
Yes it was hectic at times but I’ve found that for me, the work was never the issue. I loved what I did, the people and relationships, however, that’s where the most stress really came from. But I spent eight years in this department. I am writing it now and I cannot believe it has been eight whole years.
You kinda expect “people stress” in a work environment anyway and after eight years, that is more than reasonable. But, they welcomed me during the worst time in my life. They supported me through mummy’s illness and they were there for me when she died. I grew up with this bunch of people. They are my family. And I consider myself truly blessed to have them in my life.
As I moved from area to area within the department, I kept adding skills to my toolbox. These are the skills I hope to use well in my new job. I consider it a blessing to have spent eight years in a space that allowed for growth.
STOP
My timer just went off. And I have so much more I want to say. So I’m going to cheat for a bit.
I am struggling a bit with the tense I am supposed to be writing this post in. When I think of my department, it is still in the present tense. So for the purpose of my peace of mind and writing, I will write this in the present.
Blessings upon blessings
My manager is a big believer in empowering staff and teamwork. Space, time and this medium does not allow for sharing three years under her leadership. But her guidance helped me add to my toolbox over the years. I have learnt so much from her and I will be forever grateful.
We spend a third of our day at the office and there will always be overlap. You don’t go into the office looking for friends, but it happens eventually. And I am blessed to say that I have made some true friends over the years.
In the work environment, where people are replaced and nothing is permanent, it can seem like you’re just a cog. Which is why, when you love what you do and you work hard, you want to know that you made a valuable contribution. That you mattered. That your being there, was in fact a blessing. My manager said a few words at the little farewell gathering the team had for me. If she said five sentences, in four of them she mentioned, “We don’t want you to go”.
That meant a lot. I had other persons call to express their happiness that I am moving forward, to bigger and better. But also sadness that I wont be on the desk anymore. That also meant a lot. And now I take all of that with me to my new job.
I look forward to working hard and making a valuable contribution in my new job. Here’s to making better mistakes, learning and growing. I look forward to taking what the Father has given me and multiplying it, through the work that I do. So that when I come to another ending, it will be the start of something wonderful and yet another blessing.
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