I wish we still played with yo-yos

Do you remember that phase when you were younger when everyone was obsessed with yo-yos? I was in year 3/4 and we absolutely loved it at school, my brother and I used to practice at home (Alex don't deny that, you know we did).

But sadly, one day too many 'round-the-worlds' ended up with a few girls visiting the school nurse, ensuring that our favourite hobby was soon banned. It was gutting, if only we'd stuck to just 'walking the dog' no one would have got hurt.

I've been feeling like things in life have been a bit 'yoyo-ey' at the moment (yes I just created a word).

There have been some real joys:

• I've been lucky to enjoy some great achievements like conquering a fear of singing in front of people, heading along to St Aldate's worship band recruitment night and being fortunate to be asked to join the team!
• I've been challenged with and succeeded in giving several presentations or talks to do with academic work as well as Just Love. 
• Being on the student team and helping out Jules in the kitchen at church has been so much fun. 
• I've been so lucky to hang out with friends, old and new. I am so grateful for the group of friends who support me and love me, and are just hilarious. In a couple of weeks time we are going on a night out which promises to be wonderful.
• Last week Beks and Nina came to visit, what a lovely pair:

• And of course, a couple dreams came true in seeing John Mayer speak at the Oxford Union as well as see him perform his last UK concert in Wembley last weekend. Phenomenal.

Yet, a few 'downs' have also been around (Grr):

• The constant effort of trying to apply to graduate schemes and masters programmes, and not knowing where I am going to be next year or what I am going to be doing is flipping stressful!
• I also managed to crash into a man with my bike. He stepped out into the road without looking and I was going full pelt. Amazingly, he managed to stay standing (what a tank!) and was totally fine whilst I fell off and my poor bike (Jim) has had to be put to rest, all concave and unrideable. 
• I've not been sleeping so well, which is on and off, but I'm hoping my insomnia does not return!

(...and a few other bits that I won't go on moaning about!)

However, despite this range of good and bad, I have started to notice a real sense of peace in the day to day. It seems that the more hectic and confusing life seems to become, the more I am learning to deal with just 'living'. I think we can get so caught up in the 'doing' and the events or dramas that occupy our lives that we can be overwhelmed and overcome with everything. But we are called human beings, so surely in our very nature, aren't we sometimes meant to just 'be'?

I've been thinking about so many things I need to do/say/write/attend etc. but these past couple of days I've become so aware of actively choosing to be content. To accept that life is busy, it has its ups and downs, but sometimes for your own sanity you have to choose to cast your worries aside and find that constant sense of joy.

In light of my massive music-crush on John Mayer, it's probably appropriate to post this song. He said he wrote it when lots was going on in his life and every line he just wanted to speak over himself and declare. I loved that, and agree with him! Let's not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. (And yes, to all you lovable, nerdy christians I just stole that quote from the bible).