This Present Moment

One of the greatest beauties of writing is the way it cements the present version of yourself and your life. Like I seem to reflect on constantly, we're always evolving. But who we are right now matters, and by writing and just checking into that present moment, we make the fleeting moments more permanent.

So in this present moment, who are you? Who am I?

In my notebooks, I like to write a Currently page every few months. I write what I'm: reading, planning, watching, loving, dreaming, feeling, listening, and celebrating.

To preserve this present version of me, I thought I'd put a currently right here. I'd love if you'd share one about you with me!

Reading

Currently, I'm reading a couple of books, none of which I'm far enough "into" to know if I like them yet. I'm reading Postcards from Venice by Dee Romito, a middle grade novel about an American girl living in Italy with her mom, The Teacher of Warsaw by Mario Escobar, the story of Janusz Korczak, a Polish Jewish educator during WWII, and Cribsheet by Emily Oster, a parenting book.

Planning

This blog has also been really motivating me as a writer; the more we write the more the ideas flow, right? So I'm planning all sorts of things with this little space. I'm doing a lot of planning for the new year, with goals to read 150 books, spend 750 hours outside, and travel as much as I can.

Watching

Ben and I are currently rewatching New Girl; we're currently between shows after finishing The Chosen, which we loved. By myself I'm eager to watch the second season of Emily in Paris on Netflix. I love a feel-good, no stress show.

Loving

I am loving being at the point in the school year where we get to just buckle down and get to work while having so much fun. We're finally to that point, where my class knows when to have fun and went to be serious, and it's delightful getting to have such easy-going days with them.

Dreaming

The new year always lends itself well to dreaming. I'm dreaming of a beach vacation, finding a home with more than one bedroom (and not having to share a smaller-than-standard closet; seriously the hanger rod is buckling), and all the memories that will be made in the coming year.

Feeling

THIS is the part of the present moment that is hard to pin down. How do I put into words all the marvelous and far-less-than-marvelous feelings I have at once?? Generally-speaking, I'm feeling grateful and overwhelmed and anxious. I also am physically feeling all that comes with a body that's growing a human.

Listening

I am listening for the quiet moments. The moments where God creeps in with all of His encouragement and planning and love. His guidance is especially imperative for me right now, on the cusp of many big changes.

Celebrating

I'm in a season where there's SO MUCH to celebrate! One unusual celebration is that my sisters and I have begun cleaning out my parents' house since my dad's passing in July. This doesn't seem like something one might celebrate, but it is such a unique way to connect with my parents. It's also been so freeing to see the tangible progress of emptying out 40 years worth of things.

-J