grandparenting

Carolina’s Dance Recital

| helenburtonblog

My great-granddaughter Carolina was going to be in a dance recital near her home in Georgia. Jill, my daughter, and I boarded a plane at Trenton Airport to Atlanta, Georgia.  Trenton Airport is very small, and the waiting area is almost non-existent. It made me very nervous sitting next to so many people not wearing a mask. I didn’t care what others were doing and wore one.

Jill reserved seats for us in the front of the plane and we were allowed to board the plane before the other passengers. The plane quickly filled up and there were no vacant seats. We landed two hours later in the Atlanta Airport.

The airport is very large, and we had to take a train to get our baggage and another one to the rental car area. Then Jill and I drove over two hours to arrive at my granddaughter’s house. Once we got there it was so exciting to see everyone — especially my great-grandchildren.

Carolina, four years old, had me doing crafts with her as soon as we arrived. After eating, Carolina, Jill (her grandmother), and I got into bed to read books. We all took turns reading a page.

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Give yourself a gift by living in the present moment

| helenburtonblog

I heard a loud bang!  It sounded like a bird crashing into the window. To my surprise, there was a baby bird sitting on the window ledge. It was looking at me!  We had a great conversation!  The bird was chirping, and I was sharing about what was presently going on in my life. It certainly was a special moment!

What a long way I have come, becoming aware of my surroundings.  Many years ago I would have heard the bang, saw nothing was broken, and continued with my day. I was the type of person who was always thinking about the future, and not focusing on what was happening in the present. How sad to have missed so many special moments. My behavior changed after taking many workshops and self-development trainings. I realized how important it was to enjoy today because you never know what tomorrow will bring.  What a blessing experiencing life in the moment!

Yesterday I had coffee with my granddaughter, who was telling me about her fantastic Israeli trip. Listening intently, I was able to experience through her eyes and learn about the places she visited. This experience brought us even closer.

Living in the moment is not easy; it takes practice.  Even though I have been practicing this behavior for many years, sometimes my mind wanders as I am doing something or talking to someone. When becoming aware of not concentrating on the moment, I take a deep breath and start focusing again.

Please let us know some of the tools you use to bring yourself back into the moment.

I would love to hear about your special occasions while living in the present moment. Please leave your experiences in the comment section below, or send me an email to helen@helenburton.net. I look forward to hearing from you.

Take Care,

Helen