Its been so long! Let me update you real fast on my life. School started up in August and as of right now, I am a quarter of the way through junior year. (defiantly not counting over here) I'm a music major, so I spend hours and hours practicing then more hours rehearsing. I saw this on FaceBook earlier today. Perfectly sums up my school life.
That's basically it. If I'm not practicing, I'm probably thinking about practicing, or having a emotional breakdown about all the music I haven't had time to practice yet. If I get past that, then I'm thinking about the other homework I have to submit. All you lucky college students who go to a couple classes a day and then have weekends more or less free, enjoy it, because not everyone has that luxury. When I'm not doing any of the previously mentioned things, I am either working or teaching. (I am privileged to teach twelve private students and a group of preschoolers every week.)
Okay, now you are caught up and hopefully have a picture of the many reasons I haven't written anything in so long.
We all get so busy. When was the last time you asked someone "How have you been?" and they answered "Busy." Me: A few hours. How long ago did you last tell someone that you had been busy? Me: About tow hours ago while on the phone with my sister. It's almost as if we've been programmed to respond that way, and we get so caught up in the business of life that we fail to take a moment to find joy in the little things.
I love to stop and smell the roses in life. It helps me to stay focused on what is important in the long run. The things that will matter tomorrow, next week, and in ten years. Take a moment to stop and reflect on what you did today that will matter tomorrow, next week, and in years to come. I spend several hours teaching today. In those hours not only did I set aside the pressures of life, but I invested in the lives of about 15 different people. This thrills me. There are few things that I love more than knowing I left someone, even just one person, with something they can carry with them in life. It is technically my job to invest in these student's lives (as well as their parents'), but I don't have to find joy in doing so. I don't have to walk into a lesson with a smile on my face or teach with contagious enthusiasm, but I choose to.
I choose to live this way because I want to look back on my life and see that I took time to value and find joy in the little things each day. I want to see my students go on to impact others to be great. I don't care if they go on to be a concert musician or if they end up being a doctor, a stay-at-home mom, or plumber. I care that I showed them how to work hard and embrace life, to laugh at themselves, and to choose to find joy in the day to day things.
We are all like a drop of water in the ocean, we create a ripple that grows farther and farther away from us, eventually becoming lost to us, but not lost to others. My choice to take a moment and find joy in what I'm doing right now has the potential to change someones life. My decision to embrace the opportunity I have to explain or demonstrate a skill for the tenth time to a student could go on to help someone in eighty years realize that they are important and talented.
Let's put a stop to always feeling overwhelmed in the business of life. I invite you to join me in changing the world by choosing to find Joy in the Day to Day.
Till next time my friends!
Your Sister
