The Puddle Project

#1

Something happened today that could change my life. And that something had nothing to do with the trampoline that hit me in the face. I'll explain that later. That something has more to do with the question that my dear husband asks me every day: "So, Dar--what were your thoughts today?" Then, I stand there and wonder what exactly I should say about my puddle of a mind.

Some days there are significant thoughts or non thoughts that stand out--like the moment you realize that your hands and cheek are covered in blood and you can't quite pinpoint why. But most days aren't like that. Especially lately, it's quite easy for my thoughts to get lost in their puddle jumps. Quite frankly, lately "which side did I feed him on last" is often the most pressing question on my mind. Maybe that's because I'm making my way through my second case of mastitis. I’m just being honest, but when I reflect on the most poignant or patronized thought puddles of the day, I don’t want my breasts and antibiotic doses I forgot to take at the top of the list.

I want the sum of my thoughts to amount to something more. That sum doesn’t necessarily have to be more glamorous, gross, inspirational, sad, professional, personal, familial, political, or spiritual, etc. I think that most often the most life changing moments are embedded in the mundane. I just want help to make something more of them than the muddled puddles they presently are. Help, in the form of a project—a potentially life changing project: The Puddle Project.

For every day of 2011 I will write about at least one of the puddles my mind jumped into that day. There are no length requirements, just sincerity requirements. A new space has been created to pool my puddles. This family blog has no room for whatever I may find lurking in the mud. The goal of this project is to examine, define, describe and change. My mind can still muddle in the mundane; most often, it must. But it must mean something. I can’t wait to see what. I already have some catching up to do. At least the next time hubby asks me, “What were your thoughts today,” hopefully I’ll have something more definite to say. Not that he minds…he likes my muddling.