Living in the Moment

Sometimes after I read through some of my old blog posts, I shake my head. It’s not a disappointment shake. It’s more like a disbelief shake followed by a voice in my head, which sounds a lot like Emma Thompson when she starred in any one of those period-piece movies, that says “I can’t believe you shared that. You sound a tad looney.”

One reader said to me once, “I can’t believe some of the things you share on your blog.” I can see how telling people that you put your underwear on inside out when you’re especially frazzled can be TMI (Too Much Information). I can also see how telling people that you stalk your son on Facebook when you miss him, pay close attention to what others plunk down on the conveyor belt at the grocery store and then make up stories about their lives based upon those purchases, or have a company Christmas party when you really had no company could be construed as a little “off the beaten path.”

I see life differently than most. I think my vision changed from blurry to 20/20 about five years ago. Sometimes I wish I could have seen what I see now when I was 20 years old; however, I was fortunate to see clearly even five years ago with so much water under my bridge.

Anyway, at one point, I hoped my blog would make me a famous writer. Stop laughing; I tried to dream that dream! It didn’t, and that’s why I have my old-new job.

But, one thing my blog did give me was a family. I know I have a family that comprises my brother and sister and Nathan and Isabelle; however, here, I acquired a different family, which for more than a year has surpassed my nuclear family. Here, there are a bunch of people checking on my blog daily, and it is almost like they are calling me on the phone and saying, “What did you do? OMG. That’s so funny.”

Last night, I got an email from a blog reader. While frazzled with work, though not putting my underwear on inside out yet, she told me a wonderful story. This is another reason why I like my blog.

I mentioned this before, but I like the comments, well, those that are relevant. I love it even more when people email and tell me their own stories. It's especially nice when they say, “That happened to me,” or “OMG, I have to tell you about the time I put my underwear on inside out too, because I was so stressed out!”

Anyway, my friend said…

So my husband had what he called a “Jean” moment today…you know, when something interesting and special happens whilst doing something else (like grocery shopping). He rescued a bird!

Anyway, he wasn’t grocery shopping, he was outside waiting for something when he noticed that a woodpecker was somehow trapped in the thing that holds up our three birdfeeders.

Exhibit A: The woodpecker, though this isn't the real woodpecker, it's just an Internet equivalent!



His head was stuck between two metal bars. The bird was freaked out and feathers were flying everywhere, but after several attempts, my husband figured out a way to get his little panicked and trapped head out of the feeder holder.

When the bird realized he was free, he flew away to the nearest bush unharmed, and gave my husband a squeaky call, as if to say, “Thanks dude!” Yay, my husband, the bird-saver!

After reading that, I smiled for ten minutes. Besides being a truly beautiful and kind act, there was more to it than that for me. It was as if my family called me to tell me, “Jean, we know exactly how you feel and totally understand who you are.” Like me, they lived in and appreciated the moments, too, and I was so very fortunate to have them in my family. ♥