I keep getting this one question over and over. For some reason, I cannot remember anyone asking me this since I was a schoolgirl. Maybe I just don’t remember being asked, because I made a practice of living life at super speed, so I could rattle off the answer to this question without hesitation. But things feel slower now although the year is literally flying by; or maybe I am just slower, reflective, pondering what I want to do with myself, my time, my life. What is this burning question I keep getting asked?
What are your plans for the Summer?
Plans? I actually have no plans. And if you know me, then you would agree that is different than my norm. I am always going here or there or doing this or that. When I started writing this blog post I had no idea that just a few short weeks later, a virus would cause me to spend days in bed dozing off and on while watching hours of Hallmark Movies. I did not know when I titled this post “A Summer of Rest” that I prophesied my own future. This rest is welcome. This rest is necessary. When it is time to pull out the suitcase again, when it is time to make some fabulous plan with my trusted friends, when it is time to hit the road on adventure, I will. But until then, I am gratefully content for a season of rest.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
I showed up ready for the transformation. Wow, that sentence is giving me life. I was referring to the process of changing my hair from its naturally curly state to straight; reading the words “I showed up ready for the transformation” just hit with an unexpected impact. I would say that I digressed, but that is absolutely not the case. I needed to both write and read that sentence.
I scheduled an appointment to get my hair done. I love going to the shop not just for the results, but for the experience. Can we pause again on that sentence please? “…not just for the results, but for the experience”. Isn’t that exactly what the journey is all about? I love going to the shop because I get to spend time talking about things that matter with my hairstylist. Our families go back years. She asks about my family to make sure that everyone from my dad to my son is getting along just fine. She shares stories with me about her parents, her travels, and the exciting things happening in her life. I regale her with stories about my adventures, the people I meet, and all of the ways God shows up and out. We talk about therapy and working through the difficulties of life from grief to tragedy. And I believe that most of us agree that spending time in a salon with the right people can be a form of therapy.
Depending on the time of day, you can meet a whole host of characters sitting under dryers undergoing a process, kicking back in the waiting room looking like a Before picture, or bouncing out the door with a new attitude. This particular time, a gentleman showed up in the shop. My angle towards the mirror caused me to hear his voice before I could see his face. As she slowly ran the flat iron through my strands, I heard her say “How you doin’ Mr. W?”. My stylist used his full last name, but I respect his privacy. This man has no idea the impact he made on me or the fact that I am writing about him. He answered back like a gentleman from a different era. His words were slow, clear, and intentional. They exchanged niceties. Once again, my hairdresser was checking to see how this one and that one was doing. He responded “Oh they are doing just fine”, like a man with southern roots, although I have no idea from where he originates. Just then she slowly turns the chair and I get a full view of Mr. W.
Blue jeans, a freshly pressed button-down blue shirt, and a pair of blue suspenders. He wore a clean pair of tan shoes and sported a phone case on his hip. With a nod of our heads and a smile, we acknowledged each other. I spoke first “Hello sir”. He replied in a way that did not require an auditory response from me; a simple nod of respect for his age, experience, and stature communicated all I needed to say. For those of you who know, you know. As he walked away, my hair magician said “I have been in the hair business for over 40 years, Mr. W has been in it longer. I buy all of my drapes, clips, combs, etc. from him. You see, back in the day salesmen would come into the salons and sell us all of our supplies. Most people purchase their items online, but I still buy my items from Mr. W. He is the last of his kind. People don’t do business like this anymore.” Wow, what a privilege to witness their exchange and to meet Mr. W.
During this appointment, we talked about healthy boundaries and being mindful not only of the energy we bring, but of the energy we allow in our space. Some energy is too expensive if it costs us our peace. I am so thankful for the beautiful souls I crossed paths with during my beauty shop session. I left with a new ‘do and positive feelings because of the people in the room. I came ready for transformation and certain that the entire experience would fill my joy cup as much as my results.
A 30-year-old conversation revolutionized my perception and thereby my life. When I was about 10 years old, I was playing at a friend’s home. Her father asked me a few questions about what my dad did for a living. I replied with an overly drawn-out story about the woes of growing up in a blended family. He listened attentively nodding his head at times. When I got out all I wanted to say, my friend’s daddy replied enthusiastically “You have got to be the luckiest little girl I have ever met. You were blessed with not one, but two dads who love you tremendously. You must be pretty special!”. Thank you Mr. B for the perspective shift. You gifted me for life.
Photo 1 was taken in the bell tower in Slovenia in 2022. The story on the Travel Page is about seeing Lake Bled with Dad M.
Photo 2 was taken at the Buchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada in 2023. That story will appear in a future post.
I want to wish you a happy Father’s Day. What is celebrated today may make you feel a myriad of things. To those of you whose dads are transitioned from this life, my heart is with you. To those of you who have stepped into father roles to non-biological children, I applaud you. To everyone struggling, I send compassion your way. I cannot end this post without acknowledging God. Thank you for taking care of me; good looking out.
There is something healing about pretty things and words. The comingling of art and language produces a world of dreamy possibilities. I believe that each can absolutely stand on their own, but the downright deliciousness of the pairing opens portals to our heart. “A picture is worth a thousand words” advertising executive Fred R. Barnard said. The idea is that a solitary photo can convey more meaning than a gathering of words. While I do not disagree, the writer in me leans heavily into expressing myself through the powerful flow of thoughts written down. The adventurer in me swoons over gorgeous photos. I feel no need to choose, or should I say I am selecting to use both. My blog is my unfolding journey, a story that I am sharing as I make my way about the earth. My intention is to share simple joys and extraordinary moments that are birthed through grief and gratitude.
You are welcome in this space!
Jodi
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
Error: No feed with the ID 1 found.
Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed.
