Probably too much excitement from the day! I had been invited to a potluck lunch at my Aunt's place, in honour of my cousin coming home from California for a visit. It's like 3,000 miles from her place so she doesn't come home often. Thankfully for the internet, we can keep in touch on a regular basis! It was also a great opportunity to see other family members who I haven't actually been in touch with for a while. I love these kinds of days, asking questions, and finding out where everyone is and what they are doing. We reminisce about our family history: stories of the old times about ourselves, our parents, our grandparents, and great-grandparents. I love genealogy, and I like to hear the stories again. Sometimes you actually get to hear a new story or two, but it's a way to reaffirm our family connection to each other through our unique history. What do they say? You don't choose your family, isn't that so!!
I am very lucky to be part of a family who has remained close during our youth, and now even into our adult lives. We are close with our parents, and we try to keep in each other's lives on a consistent basis. Internet has made this easier for sure! It's an effort sometimes because there is a lot going on, but who better to share the ups and downs of our lives with!
I realize some families don't operate like this. He said, she said, and they said, and everyone goes to their corners to sulk over what was said. I would rather call them out, and have it out big time! Get it out and get it over with! So the under current of the existing family feud between my Aunt and my cousin's brother continues... at least, he came to see his sister! I'm sure he had to endure the relatives whispering in a corner, and the silent undertone of the unsaid comments floating through the air. The buttinski Aunt (sister to his mother) making her way over to let her views be known, and set him straight. I'm sure this little talk solved that feud once and for all! LOL! I've had some of these conversations with her, and sometimes you just don't need a lecture from someone that righteous! I think it probably takes a little more than this to solve the family relationship conflicts. Sometimes it takes being the bigger person and saying your sorry or empathize with the person, even when you don't feel this way, just to open the door to communication. I think this rift can be fixed, but it's up to those involved to make the first move, and start talking openly and honestly. But despite all this, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and have a good time!
Now, getting back to the potluck lunch! Everyone brings something! I chose to bring my new recipe, Green Bean, Tomato, and Chickpea Salad, which is healthy as well as something different. I was also asked to bring a dessert, and that got the creative juices flowing. I ended up with making a trifle, something I never tried before. I got out the punch bowl, and started layering cake, fruit, pudding, whip cream. It was a massive hit! The problem with lunches like this is, you always eat way too much! One plate full or two of the main course, and there was lots of choose from! Of course, one plate full or two of dessert. My plate was full with trifle, blueberry cheese cake, some banana bread loaded with butter! MMM... this is my favourite part of the lunch!
However, I think the sugar rush got me last night! More likely, it was the digestion process finally getting to sort through all the goodies I managed to inhale while chatting it up with family. Sometimes we also have to digest the emotional food for thought from the interactions of the day as well, and even though it doesn't feel stressful at the time, it will come back on you later to reprocess and sort through. You can count on having some of these nights from time to time. Hopefully, they don't come too often ~ otherwise, you might need to rely on heavier measures to get back to sleep. My preferred methods usually start with:
- Toss and turn, move the pillows around until I find a comfortable spot.
- Let my mind wander, sorting through the darkness to find a solution to what is keeping me up. If this doesn't work:
- Get up and wander around the house, stopping for bathroom break and a drink.
- Turn on the light. This usually leads to picking up my book, and read a little until I get tired enough to sleep. Or listen to music on my mp3 player, and rock out for a while.
- Watch TV for a while is usually my last resort.
Normally, I just let my mind wander, and usually by morning light, I have figured it all out, and doze into acceptance that everything is in its place for the time being! If I am able to pick out any insights from my night's insomnia, they always look a little different in the daylight then from the thick of night. Many a decision came to me through a bout of insomnia! This is the time your inner voice can actually talk to you, and you should heed what it tells you. Sometimes it's just your digestion telling you a different story that you just ate too much, and once it passes, you can get back to sleep!
S
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