I have been thinking about priorities lately. It has been something that I struggle with intermittently… Don’t we all? I tend to spend more time and energy on things or tasks than I want to. Especially when I’m stressed and not my best self.
Oftentimes I feel like time is ticking by so quickly, and there isn’t enough of it, to accomplish all I want to before we leave Thailand:
- spending more time with people rather than doing ‘stuff’
- preparing for what my future employment will look like in the U.S.
- planning in detail with John about what our future American life will look like
- finding a trillion more markets for Hands of Hope (actually I would just settle for 1-2 medium organizations that will put in large orders once or twice annually)
- getting through my reading list
- massaging everyone a few more times before we leave…
So I realized that I needed to put some limits on myself and my expectations. I re-set some boundaries about my massage time and what it looks like. I choose to not always be doing something on my list. Sometimes I simply ‘nong-lehn’ - aka, I sit and enjoy sitting and loosely thinking but not thinking too hard. Literally, it translates: to ‘sit-play’.
This week - exhibit door and butterfly.
And, like with any goals, it’s important to break them into smaller goals - as John thoughtfully reminded me lately. So I picked up our Indonesia book to begin to dream and plan for our travel post-Thailand. And I read part of the financial budgeting book we want to explore together. And I still have been making lots of time for my current read, which is Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin - which I’m really enjoying, especially as a contrast and comparison to politics now & then.
As I compose my blog this week, the thunder has been rumbling and drawing closer. When John & I go for our regular bike rides, the rice looms so tall and bountiful. And I hope that we’re getting the right amount of rainfall for a good rice crop.
And then the wind begins to pick up more and more. And suddenly, the rain crashes down in strong waves. And it’s blissfully cooler than it was only a half hour ago.
Black bean quesadillas on homemade tortillas with fresh homemade salsa=unbelievably delicious!
In other news:
- John seems to be back to his healthy self and has been busy at work, as we welcomed some new patients and began some advanced care for others.
- We are quickly nearing our GSV fundraising goal - thank you again for getting us there so quickly! Just a little bit more to go - so hurry if you want to be a contributor.
- Sometimes the highlight of the day is free coffee, combined with unfettered laughter with a coworker.
- If you had a chance to read our recent email, please submit any orders to Hands of Hope for Christmas this next week (by October 14th at the latest): contact@handsofhopenongkhai.com.
