CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, C"MON!

A Quick Note During My Birthday Week and A Reminder To Play

Saturday was my birthday and I’m celebrating all week long.

I’m currently on vacation visiting friends and family in my hometown of Shreveport, LA. It’s hot as Hades here and I have asked myself multiple times who would voluntarily visit during one of the hottest and most humid months of the year? Well, me, obviously. But… family! Friends! Southern Maid donuts! I am grateful to be able to see loved ones, laugh with old friends, and enjoy some of my favorite southern foods and treats.

Darla is in town before making the move to Japan and we kicked off the trip with a visit to one of our favorite restaurants, Superior Grill. Ok, this might not be traditional southern food but it’s our favorite Mexican restaurant in Shreveport. Darla has been living in Germany where, obviously, Mexican food is hard to come by. Note the giddy joy on her face.

Darla and I ( like all dear friendships) have multiple private jokes and secret friend codes. One of them has to do with a story of a Llama. So of course, upon my arrival, I was greeted with multiple llama gifts.

My goodness, it has felt good to turn my focus to gratitude, appreciation, and celebration! Life has been so heavy lately. ANVIL HEAVY. I felt a great need for some fun, laughter, and lightness of spirit. You too, I’m guessing? Levity can be such a healing balm.

I needed to remind myself that the guiding lens I chose for this year was playfulness. I made that choice in February when I launched this little love letter to you. Doesn’t February feel like eons ago?

So, I’m off to play for the week!

Please accept this brief newsletter as encouragement for you to get out this week as you are able and play, get together with someone you love, and remember that this life, for all its pain and heartbreak, is still a gift! We can almost always find something to celebrate, we don’t have to wait for a birthday or a vacation. You already know that but sometimes we all need reminders.

3 THINGS WORTH SHARING

1. Meredith Sinclair’s book, Well Played, is a “practical and FUN guide for reconnecting with our playful spirits” and she shares advice for how we can all get playfully engaged.

   Start with your SELF. Choose one thing from your own childhood that you remember LOVING to do. Did you love to swing on a swing, do cannonballs in the pool, throw catch in the yard, play arcade games, build sand castles, paint by number? Now just DO THAT ONE THING. No one needs to watch or put it on Instagram. Pay close attention to how it makes you FEEL. Repeat.

   Read more here

2. I love children’s books that double as books for adults. Here’s a list from Lithub.

   

3. Lastly, my friend Judy sent me this poem and I thought you might love it, too. Yes, yes, yes, friends.

See you next week!

xoxo Mary