Michele Lee Rausch

As the school year officially begins here in my part of the world, life gets busier for many of us. Mindfulness and intentionality ground me on the busy days. My primary coping techniques are staying present and leaning into joy. Kindness sustains me.

So, this school year, I challenge you to commit to spreading joy and coping with the ups and downs of life by completing RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS. Twice a month, I will post a random act suggestion, and we will have two weeks to make it happen.

Let's do this!

Journey of Joy

You can’t tell me nothing about these giant glasses I just bought. What you can do is direct me to some better insurance.

Glasses + contacts = $1600.

My insurance paid $136.

It ain’t easy being almost blind. It also ain’t easy living with this god-awful insurance. But I am grateful! And there is no joy like the joy that comes from seeing clearly! (There’s a message in that…)

Thoughts Before Bed: The Stuff on the Internet

1. Things I never thought about before being influenced: mini cows, ingrown toenails, pastries that look like various fruits but are filled with cream, sheep sheering, ASMR, and line dancing cowboys from the south.

2. Who is Ben Santiago and why is he watching my stories? Also why am I obsessed with who is watching my stories?

3. There’s a movie trailer out right now about a man made of wicker. He’s a basket. A giant walking, talking, fully functioning basket. First women picked the bear and now they’re picking the basket. 🤷🏻‍♀️

4. Two reasons to stop going above & beyond: Above isn’t rewarded and Beyond isn’t paid. (I saw that on the internet and borrowed it because, yes.)

5. The other day I turned to yell at a driver who had been riding my ass for a mile at least. And then I realized that I had my turn signal on for about the same amount of time. There is a lesson in there.

6. if you don’t know who Francis from the Chili Peppers is, what are you even doing?

7. I heard Trevor Noah say that he doesn’t think internet bullying is real and l kind of agree with him. The alternative to sitting in the negativity of the interwebs is not doing it. We have options.

8. Per the internet, we all need to make friends with a crow. Do not ask questions just place some peanuts and shiny objects outside and the birds will take it from there.

9. My outside cameras have started relaying descriptions of the people passing by. “A man with a bag and some papers” has been delivering my mail and the “lady in pajamas on the lawn” is just me getting the newspaper. I bet not find out who the “lady with the two dogs by your car” is… Ijs.

10. Stop deactivating your social media pages and returning 24 hours later. Thank you in advance.

11. Am I the only one who frequently accidentally follows or likes things on pages they are lurking on? Is this a sign of aging?

12. Things I will almost always like on the internet: dogs, well-built shirtless men on horseback, Dwayne Johnson, library-related encouragement, a DIY kitchen makeover, and recipes of homemade flaky pastries that I will never actually try.

Easing my way back into recovering the THOUGHTS BEFORE BED franchise is not easy. My life feels overwhelming at the moment and I seem to be lost on the internet a lot. But I am grateful. And I glad you are all still along for this writer’s ride through life. Sleep well my friends. Sending you all love and light.

Journey of Joy

Today’s trip to Eckert’s to pick our own peaches was definitely more about the journey and time with friends than the actual peach picking. But only because it was almost 90 degrees by 11AM today! Spending a couple of hours with my friends (& Lexi, our dog niece) is always pure joy. Coming home with 12lbs of peaches that will eventually be peach cobbler, peach jam, and peaches for breakfast is a bonus!

Thank you Eckert's Country Store & Farms for a fun experience & for cold AC in the store where we recovered before driving home.

She has always wanted her own tambourine. And a megaphone.

She is me.

Journey of Joy

Last night we finally celebrated Diane’s birthday. I’ve known her since the beginning of time. She has been a faithful and loyal friend for the better part of 55 years. Through the best of times we’ve celebrated and in the depths of grief we’ve cried together. And through much of it, there’s been wine! Thank you La Chance Vineyards for a really fun night. The food was great, the wine was fantastic, and the company was even better. Happy birthday, Diane Bracken !

I don’t usually post about the organizations I work with or for but Chad’s Coalition is the organization that allows me to work one-on-one with kids in alternative school settings and the justice system. And they are hiring. If you have an education or counseling background (& a bachelors degree) and are in the St. Louis area, please consider applying.

Link is in the comments.