August: A Time of Intentionality
Wow. Can you believe we are in the eighth month of the year 2025? How’s your summer going? Are you taking it slow? Have you gone on a family vacation or traveled solo? Or is it business as usual?
For me, this summer has been heavy. I’m in the throes of illness and pain, still recovering from a major setback that occurred back in April. I’m coming along and making progress, but it’s slow. It’s frustrating. Annoying and overwhelming. Even when major progress is being made, minor setbacks occur during the recovery process.
Living with lupus means the interruption of routine and schedules. Unpredictability is the most predictable aspect of living with a chronic illness.
I’ll eventually get around to sharing this season of my life at some point. But not right now. It’s no fun and certainly nothing to write home about. I don’t even know what to make of it myself. I’d rather wait until God gets me out of this valley before sharing my current situation. Just know that I’m thankful and blessed to be able to heal and recover at home!
I just realized last month that something’s been missing during this season of summer: my ability to dream and be joyful about my future. To just be. To possess that child-like quality of, “When I grow up, I want to…”
It’s normal to zero in on the daily regimen of staying on schedule to take meds (the alarm clock/timer feature on my phone buzzes throughout each day), keeping track of my vitals, and jotting down notes in my journal or messaging a particular specialist about symptoms or medications when necessary.
The next thing you know, each day whizzes by quickly, and I find myself feeling like I’m just muddling through and getting by. Trindi, just be thankful. No hospital. No doctor’s visit. The kiddos are good. Count your blessings.
In essence, the lupie life (life of a lupus warrior) is taxing on every level – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
But this month, I have decided to challenge myself and take a page out of the playbook of Maria Shriver.
Maria is hands down one of my favorite writers. Each week, she publishes her newsletter, The Sunday Paper, and the theme is about rising above the noise. She’s a brilliant essayist. She’s a believer in making authentic connections with everyday people. She’s kind and compassionate.
Yes, Maria is part of the Kennedy clan, she’s the only girl in a family of four Shriver boys, and used to be married to Arnold. We are total opposites. But believe it or not, I feel a strong personal connection to Maria because certain segments of her life story mirror my own.
Back to Maria’s playbook. So what does Maria do? Every August, she takes a break. From writing her newsletter. From social media. She intentionally tunes out the noise to connect with her family and friends as well as herself.
Maria gives herself permission to slow down.
I already go at a slower pace due to my health issues. But I want to make this month of August count. I want August to be my month of intentionality.
This month, I will be intentional about my thoughts and how I spend my time. I desire quiet. I desire solitude. I want to be present and in the moment. And of course, I want to make room to dream and just be.
I intend to get still in order to gain clarity. I intend to read more and tune out social media, politics, the news, and even my favorite podcasts. I intend to continue my Bible study on spiritual warfare.
Now of course, I still intend to write each week and stay engaged with my Substack community! It’s a whole vibe and I love it!
Lastly, I intend to focus on contentment and gratitude. We are all guilty of being in hustle mode, striving to make certain things happen that will enrich our lives – so we think. Our culture is always on to the next thing, our attention spans have shortened, and we easily forget and overlook the blessings we have right now.
Dreaming. Just being. Peace. Gratitude. Contentment. Books.
Hello, August!
I will leave you with these words from transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau:
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to
front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not
learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die,
discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was
not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice
resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live
deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily
and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut
a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner,
and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be
mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of
it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were
sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a
true account of it in my next excursion. — Henry David Thoreau, Walden (first published in 1854.)
Until next time,
Trindi 💜
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I love this, sis! I’ve been immersed in reading today and this last week…and it feels great! Just slowing down and soaking up some me time. What you’ve written is so timely and duly noted.
Continued prayers as you recover and take the time to slow down. 💜
Love this! Thank you Trindi for reminding us of the beauty of slowing down. Thanks for reminding us it’s okay to be intentional about slowing down “to just be.”