Store 24

Lately, I am learning a lot at a very rapid pace. Not my usual. I can feel myself opening up more to letting things in like never before. Maybe I am evolving (written with a smirk on my face). Here's what I learned in the last 24 hours:

When you try to leave your house, by yourself, for a full day away from home, your children and husband may in fact, welcome your absence.

As you drive to a far off destination (78 miles, 1.5 hours away), the same people that welcomed your absence will now call multiple times with questions about sleepovers, cooking times and gruesome finds in the bathroom. Must put cell phone on silent.

If you ignore the fact that your windshield washer fluid is low, your vehicle will incessantly remind you with a very loud BEEP and a message in text that scrolls across your dash in perfect view while you drive, every 5 minutes or so. Just enough to be irritating, but not enough for you to stop and fill up your windshield washer fluid.

Hair does not perform well in the rain, no matter how many expensive styling products you use.

Reconnecting with an old friend is so comfy. Not the type of friend who treats you like their Plan B, but the kind that values who you are, simply because you are who you are. Good, Bad, Ugly. They don't pretend to be something they are not. And they do not expect you to.

Cancer sucks. It really, really does. If you have been blessed to know someone who has survived it, tell them what a magnificent miracle they are. If you know someone (even remotely) that is going through it, even a small gesture is incredibly monumental. If you have lost someone to it, then find laughter, joy and warmth in keeping their memory alive. This is not new to me in the last 24 hours, but the ways in which people sometimes deal with Cancer continue to amaze me. Make it something that you are aware of.

Cappucchino makes me FEEL Italian. And it's heavenly.

Talk to a child that isn't yours. They are funny, intelligent, honest and interesting. Make a memory with them. Look at them. Take them in.

Food  is awesome. Fattening food. Stop beating yourself up about it. Tell a fat girl she looks great. Wrap your arms around your husbands spare tire and tell him you love every inch of him and mean it. Don't look in the mirror and pick out the lumps and bumps that tell society you had a piece of cheesecake, just exercise your heart, mind and lungs, eat in moderation, and celebrate the fact that you have food to eat.

You really can pick family for yourself. I have love for a man who is not my husband, not related by DNA, but feels like he should be. He is my brother, whether it says so on paper or not.

Alcoholics are wounded people. In some ways we are all wounded people, walking around dripping in insecurities, loss, shame and regret. Recovering alcoholics are wounded people who have found their strength and power. We should all exercise our inherent strength and power. Use what your Mama gave you.

Crying is purposeful, especially when done in the company of a good and trusted friend. Hurting for someone else is the reason why we have not all killed each other off yet.

Do not rely on texting to make plans. Period. What happened to talking? Actually talking. For the first time yesterday I realized how much I hate the fact that a great percentage of us don't really talk anymore. Our friend list may be increasing in number but our true friendships are suffering. If we continue on down this technological path as it seems we are destined to, it may be quite possible that we will be virtually raising our children in 20 years. Face timing with teachers, holding birthday parties via Skype, disciplining on twitter #You'reGounded.

Say what you feel but be kind. Honesty is still the best policy. Don't mince words. Don't puree them either. Diluting them is OK. But with clear fluid.

Don't say 'No' and mean 'Yes'. It bugs me.

Friendship can come from the strangest places. This blog, a friend in common, a single word or gesture. Friendships are not always obvious. They can not always be explained. But knowing that they will always be there, is truly one of the most comforting things on the planet.

Surprise parties rock. I want one some day before I die. I just hope people show up.

Laughter is really the best medicine. So is being goofy with someone who doesn't care if you are beyond goofy. Quirky even. Maybe aloof. Quite possibly even awkward. And they still laugh with you. Those are the types of people you remember forever.

Reminder: The best type of advice given, is the type of advice that is asked for. Repeat 100 times daily. This one is for me only. I break this rule all the time.

An inner glow creates an outer one. Happy 40th Birthday Shannon. You are the definition of glow.

So much can be lost in translation.The only regret I have about the last 24 hours is something that got lost in translation. But I will fix it. I can fix things much better these days. I have finally figured out how to get out of my own way.  For I will go to the end of the earth for you. You matter to me. You know who you are.

I do not like the words 'special needs'. How about we replace it with 'personalized needs'?

White turtlenecks do not look good on anybody. Sorry.

My body temperature is changing. Not just changing, it's kind of changing in an epic, global warming kind of way. Glaciers melting, oceans rising, migration patterns changing. That type of change. Oh Goody.

Ultimately, my day was full. It was a live life to the fullest type of day. I didn't go sky diving or feed a village, it just felt full of such a wide range of emotions. And I actually felt them all. Sometimes I feel numb. Mom armor. But not now. It's as if the numbness is wearing off. I am past the pins and needles stage. Some parts of me are waking up for the first time.

A wise person once told me that "The most freeing feeling is when you live life as you see fit and stop caring about what others think of you."

I'm getting there.

I care about the ones I love and how they feel about me, but I can not control their feelings. Only you can control your feelings. Others do not make you feel a certain way, you do.

So this is my rambling, nonsensical (it's really a word), self-realizing, jumble of a recollection of how the last 1440 minutes went. Each day matters. Each surprise party missed is a lost opportunity to be surprised. Each person has light, the ability to glow. Every minute spent soaking it in, should make you realize that your life is precious. That others want to be with you, cry with you, laugh with you, even lose things in the translation with you, should make you feel blessed. Blessed that we have the opportunity to drink, eat, heal, bleed, make memories, open presents...be present.

Take this next 24 and make it memorable. Not just for you.