"The Giver"

My niece, Kylie, is a voracious reader (quite common in my family). I comb through her stacks of books often to see what's up in the teen-world. She highly recommended "The Giver" so when I found myself without a book and a few hours of sitting & waiting, I grabbed the book and fell in...to the point of no return. 5 hours later, under the shade of the side of the house amidst the spring blooms, I finished and was intrigued. Definitely a must-read. Now remember I am still caught up in reading books alongside my Middle School aged daughters and am finding it worthwhile. It's nice to be able to 'bookclub' it with these wonderful young ones in my life.

My recent experience around my home somewhat correlated with the book - in the sense of being in a controlled atmosphere of sameness and daring to seek beyond...but the book dives in deeper into this concept of sameness and controlling, much deeper.

I've found myself including the backyard into my daily 'grind' - I'm reading outside more, cutting flowers more (which leads to dead-heading...) and putzing around outside during lunch. I've been absorbed in the colors that are blossoming all over and breathing in the freshness & newness of it all.

I've vowed to not let myself fall into the routine of letting the yard be Dan's thing and being only concerned with the interior of the house. I've been opening all my senses and committing the sights all to memory!

I've vowed not to be trapped inside now knowing what's going on in my own backyard! I've discovered that I tend to enjoy the yard only when Dan calls me outside! I've found that I pull into the garage and close the door behind me which inhibits me from inhaling the goodness of our front yard! While I open up window & sliders, I've been enjoying the outside from the comforts of the inside!

I've vowed not to get sucked into the 'sameness' where it seems safe yet so harmful in many way. Touch! Smell! So vital in life!