LAST NIGHT, I TOLD THE KIDS it was bedtime.
Like I always do.
Brush teeth, get your jammies on, pick a book.
The usual drill.
Then I heard giggling. The kind that makes you stop whatever you’re doing and smile. I looked out the window and there they were – in the backyard, barefoot, chasing fireflies.
My first instinct? Tell them to come inside. It was already late. Pyjamas were gonna get dirty. Bugs, mud, all the chaos.
But I didn’t say anything.
I sat down on the porch. And I watched them.
They were so happy. Just running around in the grass, trying to catch those little glowing dots like it was the most magical thing in the world.
And honestly? It was kind of magical.
At one point, my son came over, holding his hands together like a tiny treasure box.
“I caught one,” he whispered. “But I’m gonna let it go. I think it likes flying better.”
And just like that, I felt something shift.
I’ve been so caught up lately—in routines, in making sure everything’s on time, in getting it all right. But watching them out there, I realized… not everything needs to be so structured. Not every night has to go exactly according to plan.
Sometimes the best moments are the messy, unexpected ones.
So we stayed out.
Way past bedtime.
Barefoot, covered in bug bites and joy.
And you know what?
They still went to sleep.
They still woke up happy.
But I went to bed different.
Because chasing fireflies reminded me that childhood is short. And sometimes, it’s okay to pause the schedule and just live in the moment.
Let them stay up. Let them run wild. Let the laundry wait.
These are the nights we’ll all remember.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
OVERWHELMED?
Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief.
Do justly now.
Love mercy now.
Walk humbly now.
You’re not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.
PIRKIE AVOT – THE TALMUD
PET IT GENTLY
Do not seize the day.
This will startle the day and cause it to become aggressive and give you a nasty bite.
Instead, approach the day calmly without making eye-contact, pet it gently, and slowly enfold it in a careful embrace.
If the day shows any signs of resistance to being engaged with, it is likely to turn on you.
So back off and return to bed.
SOURCE UNKNOWN
PEOPLE-PLEASING
You’re not for everyone
but you are most definitely
for someone
and when you find yourself caught
in the trap of ‘people-pleasing’
remind yourself quickly
that you are ‘people’ too
and further refresh your memory
by recalling
that pleasing everyone
is not possible
it cannot be done
just like the sun cannot shine
on all faces at once
but when it does
when you are for someone
it is more than enough
you’re not for everyone
but it’s the ‘someones’
who matter most
the ‘someones’
who will breathe you new life
when your lungs forget how
love your ‘someones’
they’re the only ones
you need
DONNA ASHWORTH – DONNAASHWORTH.COM
AARRGGHH!
I
stress about
stress before there’s even
stress to
stress about. Then I
stress about
stressing over
stress that doesn’t need to be
stressed about. It’s
stressful.
COUNTRYREBEL.COM
SAY “HELP” – THEN BUCKLE UP!
Grace is spiritual WD-40, or water wings. The mystery of grace is that God loves Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin and me exactly as much as He or She loves your new grandchild. Go figure.
The movement of grace is what changes us, heals us and heals our world. To summon grace, say, “Help” – then buckle up. Grace finds you exactly where you are, but it doesn’t leave you where it found you. And grace won’t look like Casper the Friendly Ghost, regrettably. But the phone will ring or the mail will come and then against all odds, you’ll get your sense of humour about yourself back.
Laughter really is carbonated holiness. It helps us breathe again and again and gives us back to ourselves, and this gives us faith in life and each other.
And remember, grace always bats last.
ANNE LAMOTT – ‘12 Things I Learned from Life and Writing’
AFFORDABLE
It
is
one
of
the
BLESSINGS
of
OLD
FRIENDS
that
you
can
AFFORD
to
be
STUPID
with
them!
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
SLOW DOWN … BREATHE DEEPLY
In a world that urges us
to move faster,
to do more,
to be more,
choosing to pause
is an act of strength.
When you slow down,
you give yourself
the gift of presence:
a chance to breathe deeply,
to notice the beauty around you,
to reconnect
with what truly matters.
It is in the stillness
that clarity emerges,
creativity is reborn,
and peace takes root.
When you pause,
you remember:
peace and meaning
are found,
not in how busy you are,
but in how present you are.
The simple act
of breathing calmly,
noticing the details
you usually overlook,
and letting your mind and heart rest,
can transform not only your day,
but your entire outlook on life.
MARY ANNE BYRNE – ‘THE GIFT OF PRESENCE’
