Back to Real Life.

Uncle Jonathan and Eli

My sweet nieces: Sydney, Ruth Anne and Hannah

Jonathan and the Lively girls from Belle Glade

Lively family!

DC Lively's at the beach

Our 12 days in Florida were wonderful. I have been full force back to "reality" in DC and haven't had much time to contemplate our vacation, but the fact that when I came back to work I got comments that "I look different" must mean that 1.) I needed a vacation and 2.) It was well taken and I soaked up every minute including a nice tan and rest for the baggy eyes.

While the day to day includes more stressors, free time and some "blah" activities, I was happy to come back to our home in DC, a city that we love and can't imagine leaving, and to get back to work. My Dad sometimes drives me crazy when he constantly says how important it is to love what you do....And this was modeled to me my entire life by my Dad. I have never heard him complain once (this is in 27.5 years!) about his job and working, making him entirely the most positive person I know to the point where you have to think something is wrong with him, but he really just chooses to be positive and genuinely enjoys and finds purpose in his work. SO, while I have not reached even close to his positivity, I am thankful for my work and that when I got back from vacation, caught up around the office, called my children and families to reconnect, I felt enthusiastic, challenged and some kind of genuine joy. So, thanks Dad for instilling in me the importance to like what you do all day long and for God/my workplace/coworkers to contributing to making this a reality for me.

Two weeks back into the full swing of things, vacation sure does feel like it was a long time ago but here are some pictures (above).

Rest.

I guess it is a good thing that you don't know you are tired until you stop, or something like how that phrase goes....In anticipation of my vacation, which begins tomorrow night, I have been completely unmotivated this week to do anything. If I felt like this continually, I would be a restless, bored, unhappy mess! My guess is that I am just mentally "checked out" for vacation and my HOPE is that when I return in 12 days that I will feel refreshed and ready to go once again. Eek. My perspective this week has freaked me out a bit in that idea that I thought I loved my job, life, DC, day to day activities, but this week every task has felt like that dread before going to the dentist or something. Not a fun way to live life and I am thankful that NORMALLY I am happy, optimistic and purposeful in my days.

So, we are off to Florida for the most consecutive vacation days I have taken since working this job for 2 years! I am thrilled to rest, have a stack of books I have been wanting to read, and even a checklist of movies to rent in my head (we have gotten far behind on movie watching-it's hard to stay inside during the wonderful summer in DC!). Plus, we get to see all of our families and we will have enough time to actually just "be" with people and not rush around "catching up". Excited to feel loved and in the sunshine for a great rest called vacation.

Be back July 20....

How do we do this?

"More and more the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn't be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes and hugs that you do not simply like them, but you truly love them."

-Henri Nouwen, from his book Gracias!

Yes! In our world of being "busy" I feel so moved to reject that culture and learn how to "be" with people. Luckily, my job allows me to do this for some extent, becuase I am with people all day and do get to sit on their porch stoops, or go on a walk, all in the name of mental health treatment and community based services, BUT how do we make this how we LIVE? How do we work for a living the 9-5 + a few more hours AND share life with each other in a real and genuine way?! Any ideas about how to make this a reality and not just a pretty quote?