The in-between days
I never imagined what 2023 would be like. Some years, you try to imagine. I imagined 2004 when I graduated high school. 2012 when Nova was born. 2022 when Nova would be 10 and Ken and I would be married for 15 years. But never 2023. This year is one of the in-between years, but I hate to think of it like that. I’ve been trying to be present in whatever is happening. The in-between times especially, because time moves so fast in these years. We mark momentous occasions with photos and videos, cards and experiences, but the everyday moments are so much more worthy of note. Over the last few years, I’ve started to write letters to my future self every 6 months or so. Things are very uncertain and I’m trying very hard to be cool with that. I have no idea what 2023 will look like, but I know, I’m going to make a huge effort to spend my time doing things that serve myself, my family, and my community.
I can serve my community in a number of ways, but one is by writing. It serves me too. Maybe some day, it will serve my family, but for now, it clears my head, so I can be there for them. So, today. I’m writing about an in-between day, where my husband modeled exactly what I hope 2023 turns out to be.
We spent most of the morning painting. I was testing out a new Wagner paint gun in my room, and I learned that a wand is absolutely necessary to paint a ceiling with a paint sprayer. Between coats, I was editing my podcast, sitting at my desk when I saw a boy run up to the door, stop for a moment and run back through the grass to his electric bike. When I opened the door a folded piece of computer paper fell to the stoop. It was a printed flyer for “YumYum Harbour” and the entire paper was a picture of three 10-13-year-old boys standing in front of a shed. I read aloud, “Want some candy, snack or drink delivered to your door without the fees from other food delivery companies? Text us your request… we’ll deliver your treat(s) via bicycle within 10 minutes. “