Giving Thanks And Exploring Solitude This November

Here in New Zeland November looks a little different. Thanksgiving is not a holiday that is celebrated here, but as an international teacher-author, the whole concept of Thanksgiving intrigues me just like a curious book looking at straight your soul when you enter a bookstore does. Well, this month I have experienced curiosity for both the holiday of Thanksgiving and a curious book. Let's start with the book. Yesterday morning I was browsing around the shops with my beautiful mini-me when a stray book caught my attention and wouldn't let it go. It was a book entitled Solitude. The title itself captured me with how peaceful it's simplicity was. I am a simplicity seeker. I live for stolen moments of solitude in between my love of being around my family. 




The concept of being a simplicity seeker is foreign to many folks who work online as I do. It is very hard between the bings of emails and dings of social media to find moments of solitude nowadays. Fortunately, for now, I have power over the use of my time on technology. I spend the majority of my screen time doing what I love best, creating. I love and am very thankful for my job as a teacher-author as I get to use the powers of technology for good without having to get too consumed in the whole social media world of the online web. I am in awe of some teacher-authors who can manage all the various forms of social media alongside their interests outside of work. However, for me, you will notice my absence on many platforms. I love Pinterest, blogging, and the occasional FB post. The rest of my social media presence is very simple as I get too overwhelmed with all the various forms of social media. This passion for simplicity is evident in my work, with a big emphasis on my products being put on not visually overwhelming students when it comes to learning. Simple, clean fonts, and engaging, relevant graphics is where it's at for me.




For Thanksgiving this year I'm getting in the overseas spirit and writing out five things I'm grateful for this year. 

My Five 'Things' Of Thanks 

#1 My Family 
I am very thankful to be spending this November as a Mumma bear. It has always been my dream to be a mum (yes, we spell mum funny here) and now I am, and I couldn't be happier (or more tired). 



#2 My Solitude 
I am very thankful for all the stolen moments of solitude I get daily. When I'm in the car waiting to pick someone up. When I get to go for a lone walk (even for 10 seconds). When I get to be alone with my thoughts in a nice warm bath. I love spending those stolen moments without my phone, otherwise, I find that technology steals those precious moments of solitude in return for the chaos that is being connected 24/7. 



#3 The Kindness of Humans 
I am very thankful for the small smiles shot my way during moments of my life path crossing that of a stranger. For the cheerful "morning" cheers I get when I wonder with my baby along the beach first thing. 



#4 The Christmas Spirit 
I am very thankful that the spirit of Christmas is so alive and prevalent. I'm not into consumerism by any means but the spirit of Christmas heck yes sign me up. After a few months of feeble health, the energy of Christmas has pulled me out of a terrible place and surrounded me with light and laughter.



#5 Nature 
I am very thankful that I live somewhere so surrounded by nature. The bird's noise calms my soul while the freshly cut grass keeps my sense alive. 





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