The other day, I had to go into the bank to deposit some money my parents had given me. While I was there, I got into a conversation with my favorite teller Alex. Let me start by saying that of all the branches of my bank in the area, the one closest to my work is my favorite. They are the friendliest people and everytime I go in, especially if there are no other customers aroumd, I end up chatting with Lauren and Alex (my two favorite tellers) for at least half an hour about anything and everything. I've never been one to talk to people for long periods of time that I'm not good friends with, but for some reason, these two get me talking every time I walk into the bank.
Anyway...Alex and I were chatting the other day and he was telling me about these dance classes his wife takes, just for the fun of it. Somehow the conversation shifted from there to the fact that I do not have an athletic or artistic bone in my body. He got a good laugh out of the fact that I said I trip over my own feet and have no hand eye coordination and that my kiddos in my classroom make fun of the drawings I do, even my stick figures, because they never turn out well. Then, he asked a question that stumped me and has had me thinking all week. He asked me what I was interested in.
Wait...what?? I used to have answers that rolled right off of my tongue back in high school and college. Now, I had to stop and actually think about it. I told him that I've always been good with words, and that I love to write, even when I don't do it as often anymore. I also told him about my love for reading, which got us into a long conversation about books and recommendations of books we should read.
I left the bank that day with my brain swirling. How is it that I've gotten to be where I am right now, but I have no idea as to what interests me anymore? What do I do with all of my spare time? How have I gotten so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that I have no idea what I liked to do in my spare time? Well, I took this week to give it some serious thought and here's what I came up with:
1. I love to read. I have a crazy obsession with my kindle ever since I got it for Christmas and I spend hours looking for free or discounted books to read. I've found several series that I wouldn't otherwise have read if they hadn't popped up as recommendations on my reading list. I also love actual books. I walked into the library the other day because I'm poor and can't afford books on my kindle right now. When I walked in, I stopped and just breathed in the scent of books all around me. I could spend HOURS purusing a bookstore or a library, just looking at covers and reading book jackets. It's by far one of my favorite solo activities.
2. I love words. I love to write. I have journals tucked into shoeboxes in my closets that I spent hours filling with my dreams, hopes, woes, and thoughts from high school all the way through college. I am constantly having ideas for blog entries swirling through my head but never take the time to sit down and type them all out. Sometimes I write for an audience. Other times I write for myself. When I'm upset, my favorite thing to do is to take out my journal and just write until it's all out of my system. Writing for me is the best and cheapest form of therapy there is.
3. I love to run. Well, okay, I have a love/hate relationship with running. I hate it because it's not something I'm great at and I'm slow and will probably never run a full marathon but I love it because when I'm out running, it's the one time I'm not thinking of anything else. I can clear my head and focus on my breathing, the scenery around me, and the music playing on my IPod. Along with writing, it also is the cheapest and best form of therapy there is.
4. I love to travel and I love reading about travel. I can't count the number of hours I've spent purusing the internet and pinterest for pictures, travel blogs, and tips about traveling. My family loves Disney and I love to vacation with my family, but that's the one place they are content to go. I, on the other hand, have a two page (and growing!) list in my journal of all the places I want to go. Italy, France, England, Ireland, Greece, Spain...plus all the places Stateside that I want to go. I want to see it all! I was bit by the traveling bug when my stepdad took us on our first real vacation to Gatlinburg back in high school and ever since, I've been fascinated by all these places that I've only ever read about in books.
I don't know how I've gotten so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that I let myself lose focus on the things that interest me and that I love. I'm grateful to Alex, that he made me slow down this week and zone in on the things I love. I have a completely different blog floating through my head about doing activities such as traveling solo but I figured this one would be long enough so I'll save that one for another night. I can only hope that I will stop and take time out, even if for just 20 minutes a day, to do something for myself and remember the little things in life that I enjoy the most.
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