The past few weeks have been sad and have made me reflect on my life. Recently, a very close friend’s parent was suddenly diagnosed with a life threatening illness, and in my own family, I have a few loved ones who are also struggling with unstable health conditions. Meanwhile, on the news, we see people killing other people senselessly all over the world. 😦
It’s hard to know exactly what to do or how to react, but I’m reminded that nothing is more important than the people we are blessed to know and love, and how lucky we are for moments we share. All I can give is my presence, support and a few care packages don’t hurt. Please consider being more present with the people you love – not everyone has the luxury!
I’m in the habit of getting really stressed out from little daily things, like work and New York aggression. The good news is it only takes a minute to remember that I’m lucky to have all basic needs met, like food, warmth and a home, a job to pay the bills and health insurance, good physical and mental health, and family/friends who care about me. I think I’ve been guilty to not recognize that if any one of these things goes away (and it can in an instant), everything can become very difficult. Are there things in your life that you take for granted too?
I’ve said before that when I feel stressed or blue, I try to unplug from noise and stimulation (especially iphone and facebook), and reconnect with nature. I am fortunate enough that my love bug was in town and planned an out-of-town weekend excursion for us. We went to a town called Montauk, which is at the very eastern tip of Long Island, outside of NYC.
This is a really popular beach town in the summer, and while it wasn’t the warmest or sunniest when we went, it was also not completely packed with people, so we had some breathing room.
It’s close to the Hamptons, and has lots of little restaurants, hikes / state parks, and a historic lighthouse. We drove there from the city and spent the weekend walking around beaches and trails, eating the most delicious seafood, and sleeping/waking to the sounds of the ocean waves. On our way back to the city, we stopped by a bunch of other Hampton and Hampton adjacent towns. It was so nice to escape for a bit.
Here are some more moments.
I almost did not survive this windy weekend because I accidentally left my hair ties at home. My hair is long enough that it gets in my business if I don’t pull it back. Hence, the towel hack. 😉
Also, shout out to the cherry blossoms. It’s a shame that they bloom for such a short time, but reminds us to enjoy them when they are gorgeous and pink like that. It’s precious and I look forward to those 2 weeks every spring. Until next time…
xox
Trace
Trace in the Place 