Saturday, January 26, 2013

Song Saturday #15 - Worth the Wait

A driver's license.

Summer beach trips.

The senior prom.

Your first kiss.

A college admission acceptance letter from Furman.

Really, really good concert tickets.

A job offer to teach at the most perfect school.

Roommate reunions.

National Board results.

Christmas morning.

There are some things in life that are worth waiting for. 

Big things, little things. Doesn't matter. The waiting stinks, but it makes the event that much sweeter.

You know what I'm talking about. It's the build up. The countdown calendar.  The thrill of getting to that day that you've been waiting on FOREVER!

As a single 28 year old girl in the south, I feel like my picture could be on a set of Old Maid cards. I mean let's get real. Practically all my friends are married. With babies. Did ya read that??? More than one baby. And I am so, truly happy for each of them.

But sometimes I feel like Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle when she says that a woman in her 30s is more likely to get killed by a terrorist than find a husband. And my 30s are only 2 years away. (Did I mention I paid $50 for wrinkle cream last weekend? That's fifty. 5-0.) I know I'm ridiculous.

Anyway, today's Song Saturday speaks to the kind of sentiment I am waiting for. When I finally meet the guy God has for me and fall in love, it won't be perfect.

But I know it will be worth the wait.




Hey Pretty Girl - Kip Moore

Hey pretty girl, won't you look my way
Love's in the air tonight
You can bet you make this ol' boy's day
Hey pretty girl, won't you look my way

Hey pretty girl, can I have this dance
And the next one after that
Gonna make you mine there's a real good chance
Hey pretty girl, can I have this dance

Hey pretty girl, it feels so right
Just like it's meant to be
All wrapped up in my arms so tight
Hey pretty girl, it feels so right

Life's a long and winding ride
Better have the right one by your side
And happiness don't drag its feet
Time moves faster than you think

Hey pretty girl, wanna take you home
My momma's gonna love you
She'll make me sleep on the couch, I know
Hey pretty girl, wanna take you home

Hey pretty girl, let's build some dreams
And a house on a piece of land
We'll plant some roots and some apple trees
Hey pretty girl, let's build some dreams

Life's a long and winding ride
Better have the right one by your side
Happiness don't drag its feet
And time moves faster than you think

Hey pretty girl, you did so good
Our baby's got your eyes
And a fighter's heart like I knew she would
Hey pretty girl, you did so good

Hey pretty girl, when I see the light
And it's my time to go
I'm gonna thank the Lord for a real good life
A pretty little girl and a beautiful wife 

Friday, January 18, 2013

Two Words I Hate but Need to Learn


I heard it when I learned to play guitar.

I heard it when my mom took me out and tried to teach me how to drive. 

I hear it whenever I speak in public, and honestly I wish there was someone to say it to me any time a guy calls to ask me out on the phone and I am talking faster than an auctioneer after drinking a case of RedBull. 

Slow down, Jillian.

Slow down. 

My whole life people have been telling me to slow down.

So it should have come as no surprise to me that last night during pottery class, the instructor came over to my wheel after watching me for a few minutes. 

"Have you ever done tai chi?" he asked. 

"Actually, yeah! Just a few weeks ago!" I said. (I'm in this phase of trying new hippie hobbies. I'm going back to my Asheville roots. If I stop shaving my armpits though, I give y'all full permission to host an intervention.)

"That's good. Think about that slow, controlled movement. You can't scare the clay into being centered. Slow down. Control your movements."

A few minutes later he dropped back by and told me to slow down the wheel (no pedal to the metal while you're shaping a pot, apparently. Shocker!) 

After that- what do you know?? I centered the clay and was able to throw a couple decent looking little pots.

Lately I've been doing yoga, and it's teaching me to slow down, too. Slow down and breathe. Slow down and think about nothing but holding that frappin' crescent pose until you are sure your arm is literally gonna fall off and you will look like that girl from Soul Surfer but without the inspirational story. 

The truth is, I'm always rushing into the next pose- go metaphorical with me- not just in yoga, but in life. 

It's hard for me to stand all contorted in eagle pose like a human twizzler.  My body wants to move. My mind wants to wander. But my focus has to be on resting deeper into the pose and finding strength even though I am ridiculously uncomfortable. 

Same thing is happening in the macrocosm of my life. I'm not always comfortable where God has me. In fact, most of the time I wish time away and pray for the next stage of my life to get here a little sooner. Rings and babies people. Rings and babies. 

But all these new activities are teaching me, for the millionth time, to slow down and to enjoy the process. 

I'm not very good at that, but in this case- maybe it's okay to be a slow learner. 

Now I know:
If life throws you a few speed bumps, be thankful. It's just teaching you to enjoy the ride.