I sometimes forget to dream and think outside the box I’ve boxed myself into—a routine that’s often so predictable that I’m on auto-pilot, unaware—an automaton filling and emptying dishwashers, doing laundry, cleaning, making the bed, preparing meals (which, are not as eclectic as I’d like) paying bills, then often watching TV for an hour before going to bed to start the routine over.

Do you ever feel stuck in a rut, circling in a humdrum pattern?

Of course, there are breaks from the habitual—beautiful, heart-filling experiences with my amazing family and friends, volunteering, and the stunning beauty I see right outside my doors. These are the true gifts in my life.

It’s my staid routine that I want to shake up. 

I miss adventure; I don’t want to go out this way with the stage permanently set: the lighting the same, the table with the same dishes, the CD changer playing the same songs, the vacuum cleaner taking the same paths, the putting down and picking up over-and-over like a broken record that isn’t even heard anymore because it’s just the background hum.

I want to make readjustments—not with the humans I dearly love, my property where nature awes me daily, or my fifteen minutes each morning with God, my rescue dog, and my cup of tea; I want to dig in, see more, explore more, channeling what Robert Frost wrote:
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

Maybe I’ll stop ruminating about touching up the paint in the garage, leveling the slates on the walkway, or replacing the runner to the second floor. Possibly, I’ll sit in the Zen Garden, read a book, or watch the hummingbirds gracefully alight and then take flight.

I want to push the reset button within me, consider changes—getting out of a lane I’m stuck on, maybe stop writing poetry (very few people I know enjoy prose) or blog posts (often, I don’t know if even one person reads PFH), but then, again, I think, how will I get all those words out of my head!?

May today take you on a path that opens your eyes to a “reset.” It doesn’t have to be grand or change your lifestyle. It could be as simple as donating a few never-used items, seeing what’s outside your door with “new eyes,” changing up your TV routine, reading an unusual book, playing backgammon, or going for an evening walk. Most of us have options (even when it doesn’t always feel that way); I hope what you choose today brings you peace.

With Love,
Kay