A Day at the Zoo, A Lifetime of Growth

Opening – Context & Intention 

Yesterday I started writing this blog, I was headed to the zoo with my daughter, granddaughter and my father. What I was expecting to write about was “how hard it is to manage each of these roles” in one situation. 

As someone who, due to life circumstance, does not often find myself playing all of these roles in the same moment, and who in the past has not navigated or managed my emotions and experiences well with what I used to call these “pressures,” for yesterday I would give myself a gold star. 

Background – Why This Matters 

For many or most people these may be roles that actively play everyday all day. Depending on our phases in life we play these roles one at a time, maybe we play all of these roles all day each day. 

My life, due to my parents getting divorced when I was about 16, and my dad remarrying to a woman who likes to pretend I do not exist, means these roles rarely all get played in one day. My dad lives in Connecticut and comes to visit (alone) once a year. So once a year for 2 days I am a daughter — a role that I only play with him once a year. I have written about this before and even made a speech at Toastmasters about it where I ended the speech in tears. That one was about how sad I was about the situation. 

The Anticipation – Preparing for the Day 

Today 9/14/25 I will play all of these roles at one time. Someone who is aware, does not do it all of the time, packing it all into one event that happens once a year for only a few hours. 

Many of you get together for holidays, on the weekends, maybe family vacations or maybe even due to circumstances you all live under one roof and you manage all of the conversations and emotions on a daily basis. When I say “manage” that can mean a lot of things. There may be peace, happiness and joy. There may be stress, anger, frustration and plenty of resentment. 

Many times before family get-togethers I have played the “worse case scenario” in my head of the events that may unfold with family. How I will feel unheard, annoyed at waiting for people to get ready to go to dinner, making decisions as a collective about what to have for dinner. Life is full of large and small events and decisions that we can just easily flow through, push and struggle through. 

Dad arrived a day and a half ago and this morning I am tired. My dad communicates nonstop which I should love but due to the fact that we only spend a few days together it can feel overwhelming. Listening, absorbing, processing what he says, how it relates to what I do or do not know about him, stories from our past — it is just a lot to take in all in a short period of time. Today will be another full day of that. AND let’s add in a 3-year-old who gets all of my attention when I’m with her. 

Being a conscious person who looks at how I feel and react in every moment, of course I woke up this morning thinking of how I would prepare for this day at the zoo with 3 of the most important people in my life. My husband Glenn gets a pass on things like this because he doesn’t enjoy being with people for long periods of time and I give him that grace. It makes my life much easier. That way I don’t have to be a “wife” too. 

Since I have been on this journey of awareness for a long time I know that old me who would have worried about everyone being ok and taken care of all day can give that a break. I don’t need to worry if everyone is happy. I can and should be able to relax and enjoy the day. 

Will I? Can I? How do I want to feel when I leave Toria and Zoe and drop Dad at the airport? I WANT to feel happy, relaxed. So what do I do? I meditate this morning. I breathe, and though this is also exhausting, I stay vigilant to make sure I am present in every moment. Zoe will need most of my time, Dad and Toria will be on the periphery but that is how it goes. 

The Experience – At the Zoo 

Yesterday was a great day. Yes I was tired at the end of the day at the zoo with my family. What did not happen was me feeling overwhelmed, stressed, annoyed, pulled in a million directions at one time. 

The Reflection – What Changed 

What does this mean? This means that all of the work I have been doing on myself for years is paying off. My practices of meditation, presence, self-awareness and the pause are working and paying off. 

This morning I am sort of left with nothing more to write about, I am in a space of gratitude and happiness and a little bit of shock. This way of being has been my identity — being upset and out of sorts, maybe having had a slight mental or emotional breakdown during my time with all of these people. 

Nope, not this version of me. Today I celebrate how far I have come, but in reality I should not be shocked. This stuff works if you do the work. 

The Lesson – Invitation for the Reader 

Want to be a better person and grow? Start today. Study something that will help you become the person you aspire to be. Not sure where to start? Turn to the Universe, to God, or to someone you admire. It could be through a book, a practice, or a simple conversation. Ask, listen, and then follow where it leads. Be brave — change is possible for everyone, anytime. 

is possible for everyone, anytime.