The Best Parts of Fall

So I was inspired by Elizabeth's blog, and wanted to share a bit of fall from my neighborhood. I look at these trees every day as I drive to and from work twice ( I come home for lunch to see my boys), and each day I want to soak up as much of the beautiful colors as I can. It is my favorite time of year, but also one I try not to take for granted. In a blink of an eye, the leaves are gone and we're counting down to Thanksgiving. As you can tell, these are my favorite trees. The red/purple/orange paints the top, and it's like the yellows and greens are tucked inside. Nature sure does produce some amazingly beautiful things. =)

Feeling Grateful

So, I had a great time this weekend, visiting with my mom. We hung out together, did some shopping, visited with my friends, and watched a movie. She is so great, makes life truly effortless. I am so proud to be her daughter. She is a wonderful, giving, caring, honest person, and the very best person to be around.

This evening, as I reflect on my day, I am again thankful that I was able to spend the last 30 years learning from her, and that she helped to shape me as a person. Instead of complaining about my work worries, I am going to spend this evening celebrating the fact that I am an honest person. I am grateful that honesty is so important to me. That I would rather do the hard thing because it's honest, than the easy thing that isn't. I am thankful that my best friend encourages and appreciates my honesty, and that she encourages me to be an honest and truthful person. I am proud to say that I will not compromise my integrity and be dishonest, even if someone wants me to or it is the encouraged thing. Thank you, mom, for helping me to be a person who is honest and truthful, even when it is hard. =)

Updated Blog!

So, I've updated this blog to combine my others into this blog, so I will only have two blogs now. My Coplin Family blog, and this one. Simplicity is key, and who really needs so many blogs?? Plus, I started another blog but decided that blog was more set up for negative intentions, and I'm trying to keep my life more positive. So here you go! A fresh start and a place to focus on all the great things life has to offer!

Great things such as these beautiful flowers. Enjoy!

Going Along For The Ride

So, I have jumped into the passenger seat of my life, and am going along for the ride. You see, what I have found is that all the times I have gotten stressed that life was too crazy was because I tried to fit too many things into a schedule that didn't have room for it all. Like trying to cram my ass into the Old Navy jeans upstairs that are just a bit too small. You can yank and pull, but sometimes things just don't fit without causing pain. I was trying to do for everyone around me, and not taking care of myself or making the time for my little family that they deserve.

So now I am only making plans for crucial things, and even those I try to plan 3 weeks in advance before I commit. Otherwise, I plan nothing. And you know what? It's been great! I don't feel guilty that I'm not doing enough, because I am doing so much for my little family and therefore anytime that I'm not at work takes away from time with them, so whatever I'm gonna do had better be good. This leaves me relishing in the 3 hours between dinner and bedtime, when I can watch a movie or kick the ball with the boys. Instead of feeling pressured or worried I'm neglecting someone, I feel fulfilled and I savor the time when my poor feet can relax and I can cuddle with my boys. I let my whims make my choices for what I want to do, instead of trying to do what I think some one else wants me to do. I'm just gonna ride along with my life, not resist things or try to force my ride off the path it's on. So if my new lackadaisical plan has a bad effect on you, you have my sincere apologies. Just know I'm doing this for me and my family, and it won't be forever. Love to all, but I've gotta love me and my boys, first.

The Power of Suggestion...

So, I think that "suggestion" is a very sharp, very powerful, double-edged sword. It is often the cause of the terrible body images held to fiercely by our girls, and women, of today. However, this power can also be used for good. As a result of the power of suggestion, and a passionate, heartfelt, continuous drone of insistence on its genius, I have directly or indirectly influenced at least 16 people to read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series.

Why is that so great? It's great for a number of reasons. First of all, I don't know where we got this crazy idea that so many people reading a book could be a bad thing?!?! It happened back with Harry Potter, and has happened some with Twilight. I digress... First of all, it celebrates a new author, creating a wonderful, engaging, Young Adult series that features elements of fantasy. It shows that J.K. Rowling and her golden boy weren't a fluke. That a brilliant young adult book can be loved by people of all ages, not because it's an enigma, but because it's good. Because both women had a vision of something they thought was too good not to write down. Second of all, it reinforces the power of great writing. The Twilight series is so fantastic because the writing is fantastic. You can't help but be pulled into Stephenie Meyer's world, and you go willingly along for the ride, completely engrossed in the story and can hardly bear to tear yourself away from the pages, even for things like sleep, food, and work. Even the second or third (or fourth...) time through the series, it captivates you to your very soul.

Just my opinion? Nope, it's the opinion of millions of readers, and it is supported by the 16+ people that have devoured the books, because I insisted they give them a try. Is it because I'm almighty awesome? No, it's because the books are utterly FANTASTIC. For further proof of her brilliant writing, take a gander at The Host. It's an adult sci-fi book by Mrs. Meyer. She takes her captivating writing skills, and her ability to so accurately write human emotion, and translates it to a futuristic version of our world. What's my suggestion to you? Jump on the band wagon. Lose yourself in Twilight, get transported by The Host, and then come have coffee with me while we talk about the stories and anxiously await the chance to read anything she writes next.

Reflections, and Phoebe

Do you ever get tired of reflecting sometimes? We spent a LOT of time this past school year, learning the art and power of reflection. It is a process of looking back, examining what you've done, how it went, what went well, and what you could do better. It helps you to learn from your past, and helps you improve. I understand and respect the practice, especially in an important work setting such as teaching. However, is it always necessary in everyday life? I've spent much time reflecting, obsessing, focusing on what I've done and how I can learn from it. The problem is, if you spend all your time reflecting backward, you don't ever move forward. I'm beginning to think that there is a level of bliss that comes from living a Phoebe-esque life (See 10 years of Friends for the Phoebe reference). And things turned out well for her, right? She had a lot of fun, kept her friends, was a great and caring person, and even got to marry a great guy. In the end, they were even talking kids! And I don't think she was much of a reflector. She was more of a psychic-and-horoscope kind of girl. Go with what the universe brings to you, stay in touch with your karmic interactions with the world. It alleviates some obligation, but also the pressure to reflect over every little thing, because you let go a bit and trust that the universe brings things to you for a reason, and you learn from those experiences as new ones are presented. It's a fluid, cyclical process, and not one that requires obsessing over things in the past. "And, you can't be mad about the past. I mean, are you mad about the Louisiana Purchase? Exactly. Because it's in the past." (approximate quote, season 5) So I guess maybe I'll take a stab at not obsessing so much, and checking my horoscope more often. We'll see what happens. =)

A Few Thoughts About Friendship

Friendship is such an interesting thing. It can have all the commitment and involvement of a romantic relationship, without the romance. It can also be as flighty as the "hello" you exchange with the teens in the Dutch Bros. drive-thru. Some people can be fantastic friends to a multitude of people, and some can't even be a proper friend to themselves. What is amazing to me, is that everyone is different-- how they view friendship is different, and the value they place on it is different. So how do such differences come together to form the delicate interactions that friendships present?

I have found trouble with this lately, finding that I place a certain value on a friendship, where another person places a different value on that same friendship. It's a great learning experience, to climb out of your own view to see that same friendship through someone else's eyes. Instead of getting your feelings hurt, you find that you can adjust. You might even find that altering your view to match that of the other person brings clarity to your own life and in a strange way strengthens that friendship. In the end, it's all about balance.