Struggling

I have really been struggling with blogging material lately. Some days, it seems like our lives are so normal & mundane, that who would want to read about it? Other times, I'd love to share certain things with my readers, but worry about totally putting myself "out there" for all the world to see & know. There are some matters that are best left off of blogsphere, if you know what I mean. Privacy is still important, even when one has a blog and even though it may seem to go against every fiber in my being.

Yes, there has been turmoil in our lives lately, but thankfully, there have also been many wonderful memories and super-supportive family & friends who have the amazing ability to make our troubles melt away, even if only momentarily. I am really trying to focus on the positive things in our lives while keeping the struggles in the back of my mind, always there, thought about & planned for, but not all-consuming.

I take comfort in knowing that we are not alone, that many other we know and others around the nation are also struggling and yet, managing to adjust, adapt and move on. We have cut back, become super frugal and, at the same time, become closer as a family and have found the true meaning of life in a lot of ways. How could a night be more perfect than a leisurely walk through the park, pulling a wagon and having an honest, down-to-earth discussion while admiring the approaching sunset and ducks swimming in a pond? I think, when times get tough, we tend to come together, face things head on, and also truly appreciate the simple pleasures of life.

I've blogged before about returning to simplicity and, in a way, we are doing that, and in a way, this makes my heart glad. While part of me worries that my children will feel deprived, part of me also knows that they are learning important life lessons--that there is a limit to what we can buy, that it's okay to do without some things, that our basic needs will always be met, that something old can be new again and that creativity is fun! One of my favorite things, as of late, has been to introduce my girls to the old-school movies I loved as a kid as well as some of the games that I enjoyed playing. Who knew, huh?

All in all, I am determined to make the most of the changes that have been, for lack of a better term, forced upon us. But, know that if I don't blog often, it's because I often struggle with just what to post and, occasionally, the unpleasantness of life consumes me. Just know, that no matter what, I relish my connections that I have with my readers and I won't disappear entirely.