"The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes - ah, that is where the art resides."
I love harmony...but I never thought of it beyond music.
The first thing Sarah mentions, something to remember, is that finding harmony takes practice. Just like a musical instrument, if you don't practice, you'll never get any better. And let me tell you, practice is no joke. Real practice is work, and more work, patient and determined work. "So it is with the concerto of our lives. Individual notes must be learned and played and practiced before we achieve harmony. And above all, we must learn how to pause."
Harmony means agreement. "Harmony is the inner cadence of contentment we feel when the melody of life is in tune."
Sarah talks about how in order to achieve harmony we need to make good choices, which is really hard to do when we're so exhausted. And when we're exhausted we cut out things that we need, like pauses, meditation, self care. "Time to dream, time to think, time to contemplate what's working and what's not, so that we can make changes for the better."
Gratitude leads to Simplicity.
Simplicity to Order.
Harmony just kind of miraculously emerges from these three things.
"We learn to balance demands with pleasures, moments of solitude with a need for companionship, work with play, activity with rest, the inner woman with the outer packaging."
I don't know about you, but this harmony thing sounds pretty amazing. I already picture my life as a musical, honestly, harmony isn't a big step from that.
Robbie thought of what Jesus said, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." -NT He said that even if we don't want to, we still have to pay taxes, which means we need a job, which means you have to work to keep your job, etc etc. You have to make all of those things work. I thought of all the keys on the piano. We have a lot of keys to play and they have to be played, but you choose how to play them, either in dissonance or in harmony.
Also came across a good article, Keeping Your Life in Balance. I find it funny how it's some of the same things over, and over and over again. Truth wins out in the end every time.
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Gratitude Journal
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1) Bad days. Today did not start off good. I didn't want to get out of bed. There was already kicking and hitting and crying before we had even gotten dressed. I burned breakfast. I didn't take a few seconds to pause and kiss my husband goodbye... instead I told him I was running late and just gave him a peck instead. Robbie's coworkers had a rough night, one got his house robbed and another had his sister pass away (they thought she had 3 months, just found out she had cancer, and then she passed away in the night). Workout was difficult because my kids were having a hard time being nice, lots of hitting and crying and wanting to be all over me when it was my time.
But then we went to the park. The sun was shining and warm. Even with all the bad things that had happened I thought that it could have been worse (like I could have totally lost it worse, I at least kept my cool and wasn't the worst mother in the world while trying to discipline my children). My kids were having a rough day, but they are 3 and 2 years old! Of course they are still learning that hitting is not okay, but they are learning and so am I. I hugged my kids and told them I loved them. Then we played outside in the sun with friends and had a much better day. I made sure I kissed my husband and told him he was right this morning, a few seconds to stop and pause wasn't going to hurt anything (but not taking them did).
2) Bubbles and Baby Buda Bellies
Don't eat the bubbles. Not good.
3) Being Prepared. I knew what I was making for dinner tonight, crockpot Tuesdays, because piano lessons don't get over until 5, and when dinner is at 5:15 that doesn't leave you much room to cook something. So I defrosted the meat last night and did all the prep, so this morning I browned the meat and put it all in the crock pot. I was only 5 or 10 minutes late to workout...stupid burnt breakfast. And then dinner was ready on time :) no hungry crying and screaming! Go me!
4) Naps. I got to lay down with Jacob (he can't sleep in his room with his brother during nap time because he won't sleep and then they both don't sleep), and we woke up to the happiest kids. I laid in bed for awhile trying to make myself get up, listening to them playing, and then they brought me a feast of fake food and fed it to me, climbing all over me, asking me "More? More? More?" It was pretty freaking adorable.
5) 3 new piano students. That's kind of an answer to prayer.
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