Reading, Ragers & Red Apples
Happy Sunday night loves!! I hope you had a relaxing weekend as we head into a new week.
Today’s post is going to be structured a little different than usual, since there have been many exciting events happening lately!! In order to not bombard you with too much info, I’ve structured them by event.
Event #1: Our first book club meeting commenced this past week & let me just tell ya, that my girls know how to put on a spread (shoutout to you, Lucy!!!) October’s book was called: Modern Love — make sure you get the revised and updated version ;)
I was not all too thrilled to be reading stories about love, let alone a whole book on, especially after the loss of love in my life. To be completely honest, the thought of love or seeing people in love makes me want to vomit right now.. so my friends thought that reading this book would be a good start to heal not only my broken heart, but to aid in reducing my skepticism about love — to learn to open my heart again. All I was thinking was “Oh god, this is just another plot for my friends to get me back out there again & I’m not sure if I was ready yet.”
So to give you some context before I jump in.. This book is a collection of stories of love, loss, and redemption that people would write and send to the NY Times to be published into their Modern Love Column. Soon thereafter, a podcast and an Amazon Series sprung out of it!!! Let me just tell you — some of these stories are so beautiful, I can only aspire to be able to capture love, loss, and redemption so beautifully.
This was one of the books that I could not WAIT to get home from work to read — and definitely one that I would cancel Friday night plans to stay home and read (I know, how lame am I!!). I would go through tissues — balling my eyes out when the wife with terminal cancer just wanted her husband to find happiness when she would leave the earth. I would LOL at the 30 year old, single, no-makeup, sweatshirt/shorts, and vodka-soda drinking lady cause, well, that’s my life right now (minus the whole being 30 years old part). I would clap for the mother and father that chose their adopted child — despite any illness, medical condition, or obstacle that they would face; a true act of selfless love. Anyways, you get my drift — lots of different emotions that came out of me reading this book.
My girls are fantastic human beings — the truth, heart, and courage that each of my girls possesses honestly blows my mind. Just listening to them talk about their stories of love, loss, redemption; and not all romantic — some of a parent, a friend, loved ones, allows me to truly see their strength and grace through each obstacle they have overcome. I feel blessed to be surrounded by empowering & strong females, as well as having the opportunity to share and learn about each other’s experiences. This is the beauty of a book club. I definitely feel closer with my girls after book club and know that this is the start of something beautiful.
Event #2: Okay so TECHNICALLY, it was not a RAGER, but it was definitely a fun time!!! For those of you that know me, I am a HUGE holiday fanatic — always extra with my decor, aesthetic, and presentation. I know.. I know.. I will probably be that mom that stays up all night baking cookies for my kids’ bake sales, instead of buying store bought; bringing snacks and juice boxes to their soccer games, and hand sewing their halloween costumes.
Bringing friends together from all walks of life is one of my favorite things to do the older I get. I realize that people meet, remember details about each others’ lives, see each other again, and pick up conversing, laughing, and getting to know each other. I think it’s a beautiful process to watch friendships and to be a part of the blossoming of a new person in one’s life. You really never know the impact that person will have on your life.
Needless to say, I think everyone had a BLAST — drinking, dancing, playing games, laughing, and even touching my granny booty (LOL).
My friends truly went out of the box for their costumes. It was a very proud grandma moment for me. If I may say so myself, I think G-ma Yaz was a hit ;) All of it definitely makes me look forward to planning the Christmas one (can you believe we are only 62 days away!!!! I. AM. SHOOK.)
Event #3: Last, but certainly not least was our fall apple picking adventure with my best friend Jake. We drove up to Blue Ridge this morning to visit an orchard and go apple picking. When we both walked in, it was definitely the HIGHEST CLASS orchard we had both ever been to — a beautiful lake, crispy fall air, the smell of cinnamon apple strudels everywhere, and a walkway that looked like something out of a wedding venue.
North Georgia is the prettiest place to be at this time of year when you are surrounded by beautiful Tennessee/Georgia/North Carolina mountains, pumpkin patches with little kids running around to pick the biggest pumpkin in the patch, and JUICY red apples — Jake, you know I had to use that word ;)
We hiked all over that orchard, picking off and eating those red apples. While doing this though, you picked up what you thought a rich, red, apple but in fact had a huge blotch on the other side — this is what we call a bad apple and OF COURSE brought into perspective the saying of being a “bad apple”. Sometimes, the simplest things in life lead you to learn a lesson. Now, growing up my dad always used to tell me to be the jar of honey, not the jar of vinegar. Honey always attracts the bees. Same goes with apples! Everyone wants those good, healthy, red, crisp, and JUICY apples!!
As I am on my journey and constantly changing, even I need a reminder to always be a good apple and change what makes me a bad apple — whether it mean taking a time out, get some sunlight, and to be trimmed and maintained. Okay, so I am not a fruit, but basically I should take time to re-evaluate where I am, take a breather from life, and to constantly check in with myself. That way I will be a good, healthy, red, crisp, and JUICY apple for the yellow jackets to come and swarm around.
So lots of excitement this week!! Life is truly amazing & I am oh so grateful and learning everyday is a much more beautiful journey than I could have ever imagined.
This week I hope you set some reminders to:
1. Be an initiator. Start a good read.
2. Be funny and dress up with some friends!! IT’S HALLOWEEN!!
3. Be a good apple.
With Love, Yas
