Some weeks will replenish your soul

Lesson #7 of 40

As I approach 40, I’m embarking on a year-long project to reflect on the lessons I’ve learned in four decades of life. This is lesson #7. You can read the full series here.

Some weeks will feel like walking into sunlight. (Getty Images)

There will be some weeks when everything seems to click. You will wake up before your alarm clock and your mind will feel clear. You will walk to the coffee shop and feel the warm morning sun on your skin. You will reply, “I’m good!” and mean it. You will remember to add, “And how are you?” You will recall how casual connections were lost during the pandemic and appreciate these small interactions even more.

There will be some weeks when you have so much to give. You will have time and energy for your partner, time and energy for your child, time and energy for your mother. You will even have time and energy for that coworker who complains a little too much. Best of all, you will have time and energy for yourself. You will make healthy choices. You will sleep well, eat well, and get lots of exercise. It will all feel like fuel for the time and energy pouring out of you.

There will be some weeks when you’re happy with how you look. When you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and think hello, there! You will keep your house tidy — or at least not be bothered by the various things that typically bother you. You will feel grateful for your life, your body, your routines, your relationships. You will feel like you’re seeing these things with fresh eyes.

There will be some weeks when you are able to take in the horrors of the world and be moved to do something about it. You will make sandwiches for your local food pantry. You will donate to that crowdfunding campaign for Gaza relief. You will have an uncomfortable conversation about voting. You will meditate and take deep breaths and remember to control what you can. You will set the news aside and play pretend with your kiddo instead. You will allow yourself to feel hope.

There will be some weeks when the sun is shining and the birds are singing and you are present enough to let it all soak in. You will take time to celebrate your successes, no matter the size. You will be inspired by others and happy for their achievements. You will dip from a seemingly endless well of creativity. You will read perfect, gorgeous sentences then read them again. You will even write some of your own.

There will be some weeks you wish would last forever.

These weeks will also pass. This is the lesson. They are magic while they’re here.

xoxo
KHG

p.s. Some weeks, of course, are not so hydrating. Here’s the companion lesson.