CLOSE ENOUGH. (Read & Reflect #8)

Sometimes I feel stuck in an endless cycle of discontentment and yearning. Where do we draw the line?

One of my favorite things to do on walks is read the names of well-loved cottages by the beach. 

The choices are all over the place. Some are predictable, “The Sand Dollar”. A few are quirky, “See Saw, Saw Sea”. Then there’s one that made my introspective heart throb with excitement, “Close Enough”.

I went to capture a picture of the cottage this morning. As fate would have it, the resident was stepping out of her car, coffee in hand as I walked by with 3 dogs attached to me. Sure, I could’ve tried to explain that I write this newsletter, that’s “uh…about my life… but also about just life in general and can I take a picture of the sign, because well I think there’s a whole life lesson behind it”, but that seemed like WAY too much to manage in the moment so I settled for a wave. Perhaps I will stick a copy of this newsletter in her mailbox tomorrow. So instead you get a picture of my dogs.

The cottage, “Close Enough”, isn’t located “in the sand”. It’s actually across the street from the beach. Despite this, the name would indicate that the residents are quite content with its placement.

I adore where I live. I love my house and certainly live close enough to the beach. It’s a 15 minute walk. I can see and hear the ocean, and there’s a pond essentially in my front yard teeming with beauty.

Here’s my embarrassing confession.

Occasionally, I still find myself thinking about building a bridge over the pond to shorten my walk and daydreaming about what it would be like to wake up in the sand. I’d be willing to bet that even if I owned a house physically on the beach, I’d then want some type of home improvement. Even the sandy front yard wouldn’t be enough. 

Sometimes I feel stuck in an endless cycle of discontentment and yearning.

I don’t think this is unique to me (I guess I will find out once this newsletter drops). 

My grappling with the concept of close enough is not just limited to my privileged desire to live closer to the beach. 

In the past, I had difficulty executing if I felt I didn’t have 100% of the information, or something didn’t match 100% of my requirements. As a result, I was endlessly spinning my tires and not getting anywhere with my goals. Admittedly, sometimes this was done as self-sabotage. Then there were occasions where I genuinely felt scared to proceed with unknowns. While, I’ve learned to be more flexible and aware of this trap, it clearly still appears.

I don't think close enough means settling. 

I also don’t think it means not having goals or a desire for growth.

For me, embracing close enough means: practicing gratitude, leaning into courage, being vulnerable, and being intentional about where I am expelling my energy. 

I’m going to practice close enough right now, ready?

• I know I could add more to this newsletter; my brain wants to run in 6 different directions with this concept.

• I know I used far too much first-person and I could go back to clean my writing up. 

However, I am okay with an 80% newsletter today.

• I’m grateful I had the energy and time to sit down and write.

• I’m fairly certain that I accomplished my goal of writing something that will make people think.

• Lastly, I’m choosing close enough because I’m tired and want to go home and take these uncomfortable pants off. 

Wholeheartedly, 

Maggie 

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Ideas for Reflection:

1. What areas in your life are you the most content? Why?

2. What areas in your life are you perpetually discontent? Why?

3. What areas of your life could you practice being close enough? Where would you apply that extra energy?

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