5 Quick Things #149 🥱

Airplane mode, snoring dogs, monthly pity parties, & comfort books

Jul 17, 2020

Hey there,

Continuing my mostly offline month has been lovely, and a good reminder that we’re not needed as much as we often think we are — in a good way. The world will, indeed, keep spinning without our herculean efforts. We’re allowed to rest our bones. We need to rest our bones, for the good of the world.

Somewhat ironically, though, I was in Zoom meetings for 16 hours this week, prepping as staff for this next fall at our school. Like most schools in the country, we are going to take things a week at a time and do what we can with what we have. I tell you… that much time on Zoom will remind anyone how much we humans need time digging in the dirt. That’s high on my agenda this next week!

A restaurant set up in a stream outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. #

5 Quick Things ☕️

1. These suggestions for self-care for hard times are so simple but so true… I do four of them pretty well, but I’d like to get better at the other four.
2. And oh my goodness, these are fantastic ideas as well — and a hearty thumbs-up from me for number five.
3. “Boredom is the blank space where attention is cultivated.” These words are a balm because they feel oh-so-true these days.
4. Airplane mode can be a way of life. I hadn’t thought of it this way, but it’s true (and it’s my favorite thing about long flights).
5. This is everywhere, but it’s good.

Quotable 💬

“The ordinary activities I find most compatible with contemplation are walking, baking bread, and doing laundry.”

― Kathleen Norris

Time Machine ⏰

6 years ago, Charlie wrote about the subtle art of naming and framing, and it feels so very apropos right now. (I personally need to embrace this better.)