🌊 "So Many ___, So Little Time"

How would you fill in the blank?

My full-of-life four-year-old (and her older sisters too!) could talk your ears off with answers to this question.

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“So many secure facilities [to break into], so little time.”

— The Arctic Incident, book 2 of the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer

When I reread that facetious line recently, it occurred to me that that common phrase might be useful for a deeper purpose.

“So many _____, so little time”: how would you fill in the blank?

Keep the gleeful spirit of the phrase—chuckle evilly, grin with crazy eyes, or rub your hands together in delicious anticipation.

What is the object of your eagerness?

Your answer (or answers) can direct your attention to your interests, reminding you that they exist and that your time for engaging in them is not infinite.

In this way, the question activates the motivating power of scarcity and urgency in a positive direction—the direction of what truly interests and excites you.

For example, the first two things that jumped to my mind were “books to read” and “things to write.” (More serious and profound things, such as “moments with my kids to make the most of,” came a bit later and were farther from the gleeful tone.)

My husband might answer “estate sales to scout for cool antiques and hidden deals.” My friend would answer “languages to learn” and “animals to rescue.”

What’s your answer? Whatever it is, may you get some of it today! I’m off to try to get some writing and reading!!

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River Roundup

Section posts from the past week

(formerly “Sunday Springs”—I’m changing the name because I can’t always get it done on/by Sunday)

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☔️Parenting Puddles

☔️Setting limits doesn’t hurt them 🐴

“The key that clicked for me is that I can be firm and authoritative without harming them. Just because some adults are cruel and abusive to children doesn’t mean that it’s not possible to be both authoritative and kind.”

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🪷Serenity Splashes

See full posts for my audio recordings of the poems, plus notebook snapshots and photo captions.

🪷 Slow Down

a chant

Slow down.
  I'm okay.
Let my feelings
  point the way.

Life is hard,
  but I can choose
how to meet
  each moment's news.

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🪷It's okay to stay in here

another chant for healing-help

It's okay to stay in here.
Let boundaries counter fear.

   I don't have to leave myself
   to placate everyone else.
 
      That was life before.
      Now my life is more.

   I'm learning to protect
   my needs and self-respect--

to stay on my own side
and in my core abide.

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🪷Turtle Talk

What I’m learning lately

It's okay to stay inside my shell--
to be quiet, still, and close to myself.
I don't have to constantly spell
out my status for everyone else.

Like a turtle, I can wait
with quiet as my shield and home
until I'm ready to relate,
calmer for the time alone.

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🪷People Un-pleasing

a reminder

Good thing I don’t have to defend 
myself in your esteem. 

My happiness does not depend 
on what you think of me.

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🪷 There is always change

a poem in English & French (just for fun)

There is always change
in the world outside,
so look to arrange
my world inside. 

~~
Il y a toujours du changement
dans le monde à l’extérieur,
alors regarde l’arrangement 
de mon monde à l’intérieur.

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