Enjoying the Fruits of Life

Hello friends, is anyone out there? I know I've pretty much stopped blogging entirely. It isn't because I am not still obsessed with design or photography, or because the move got the best of me. Although, maybe that last one is a little true.

To be perfectly candid I've experienced a lot of negativity in other areas of my life while living in Japan. It felt almost whiny to complain when my family has been so blessed and thus instead, I just didn't say anything at all. Maybe it is that, "if you have nothing nice to say..." thing. To make a long story short, I have approached the last decade of my life with openness. I've befriended people simply because they were brought into my life. Sometimes I think moving so much leaves you wanting connections to your current place and time.

The reality is that there are a lot of unhappy people in this world and at times instead of looking within, they look to express their unhappiness at the expense of others. It is okay to be unhappy, and the truth is everyone is unhappy or suffering sometimes. Yet, as I try to teach my daughter, you can't take your feelings out on others. It isn't fair and you don't know what challenges they're facing, some of which are beyond their control. Up until recently, my policy of letting everyone into my life has not always worked. I'm recognizing this idea left me vulnerable to bullying, yes bullying, from other adult women. I tried very hard to be indifferent about it but the truth is, it made me lose faith in people a little bit. In short, I've taken a page from George Washington (nerd alert) and followed a life focused within for the past several months, or really even longer. Time to start anew.

That being said, I feel incredibly blessed. Being back in New York (nay, just being back in America) has been really lovely after several years overseas. The simple joys mean so much. We've been doing great little trips around the Northeast - revisiting places and doing things I remember from my own childhood. There's been some reconnecting with old friends from before we started this crazy adventure which has been a wonderful reminder of both who I was but also of how I've grown. And there's been making new, more positive, friends which has been a breath of fresh air.

Most of all, it has been such a joy to see our daughter flourish coming home. It is amazing - she's embraced all the new experiences and friends so quickly. I hope to be like my daughter and live with resiliency and joy. I hope to find myself embracing new blessings and stages of life. And as such we're due with another child soon. I can't believe how lucky we are. I know not everything is or has been perfectly smooth sailing but I would venture to guess that's just a universal part of being human.

So while this blog may have suffered, all is well. Maybe in due course I'll have more to share - more historic houses, more architecture, more diamonds in the rough. We've been looking at farms recently, some in need of restoration. If that's the direction life takes us, I'll be sure to be back here with more to share. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy each and every simple pleasure life sends your way. Thanks for reading along! And I hope you liked my random photos from our recent trips around the Northeast!