Joy Despite Sadness, Sweet Potatoes, Ask the Question, Practice not Perfection

Lesson 1: Moments of joy can exist in times of uncertainty and sadness

The week started off with some pretty heavy and discouraging news. However, despite the heavy start, our week overflowed with moments of fun, laughter, love and joy. Although the news was never forgotten, dismissed or minimized, joy was able to buoy us up, alleviating the heaviness for a time. Reminding me that life is neither black or white, but a collage of the two. 

Lesson 2: Sweet Potato Casserole is actually pretty good and I would eat again

Thanks to my irrational fear of sweet potatoes as a child, consuming sweet potato casserole was not high on my Thanksgiving agenda. Later on in life, I developed a love of sweet potatoes and enjoyed them in multiple forms, particularly the fry form. As I passed by the sweet potato casserole this year, I figured it was about time I gave it a try. I’m twenty two after all. Long story short, I went back for seconds…and thirds. I think we all know how I felt about it. 

I will say this, I couldn’t have any of the pies this year and the casserole was very sweet. So I’m wondering if my dessert cravings skewed my taste buds. I’ll be testing that theory next year. 

Lesson 3: Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions. Ask how someone is feeling don’t just assume 

I won’t be deep diving into this one but I was reminded this week the importance of asking how someone is feeling. Then following up that question with genuine listening. We shouldn’t assume we know how others are fairing, no matter how close we are to them. Life is hard sometimes and a lot goes on backstage unbeknownst to us. Take the time to be someone's listener. We all need one. 

Lesson 4: “Practice not perfection.”

Emily Bell Freeman talked about this on her podcast, “Inklings”. I’ve experienced the paralyzing power of perfectionism many times throughout my life. In the podcast she  talks about aiming for repeated practice instead of perfection. Perfection is not achievable from the beginning and honestly, might never happen. Practice, however, helps us develop and become closer to mastering a skill. I was reassured by this concept because striving for practice seems far less daunting than striving for perfection. 

Gratitude:

1.Christmas Tree Hunting:  This became a family tradition when I was younger and it quickly became one of my favorites. My husband and I had the opportunity to cut our own tree this year. It was a delightful time and I dare say we found the best Christmas tree ever…;)

2.Family: There’s nothing like being surrounded by loved ones. It’ll forever be one of my favorite experiences. 

3.Laughter:  Laughter is truly a balm for the soul. It’s one of my favorite things.

- The Butterfly Enthusiast