jillsalahub

April Love prompt, “an inspiring person.” Susan Piver. She’s a tenderhearted, brilliant, wise writer, teacher, practitioner, friend, human being. I adore her. I want to grow up to be just like her, specifically in the way she’s been able to merge her practice and her work. We are both introverts, 4s on the Enneagram, Buddhists, practitioners in the same lineage, women, writers, teachers, so I feel like the ground is there, that it’s possible I could one day offer something as meaningful, as helpful as she has. In the meantime, as I work towards it, I look to her for inspiration. I get to do a virtual retreat with her today, and I’m so excited to see her, to listen to her wisdom, to practice with her.

April Moon prompt, “I wouldn’t call it a collection as such, but I do seem to have a lot of…” Oh, I’m a collector, a curator of things, so this isn’t just one item but a list of them.

I collect books and journals (which at first are blank, but eventually full of my mad scribbles), precious containers for words written and empty spaces for those to be written.

I collect seashells, rocks, and feathers. I try to tell myself that I don’t need to pick them up and take them home with me, and yet before I know it, they are in my pocket and then on the tiny altars I build everywhere.

I collect Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and malas, all of them reminders of who I really am, instruments of practice and inspiration.

I collect pictures with birds. I hadn’t realized this until one day I just saw it, that so many of my pictures had a birds in them.

The Heart of Things by Christina Rosalie

I collect love notes from Eric, keep every note left on the kitchen counter, every letter and card. I always make him say “love you” when we part, so that no matter what ever happens, the last words we said to each other were that.

I collect divination tools, books and decks of cards.

I collect quilts. My aunt is a quilter, so that might be part of it, but that’s not all. Maybe it’s something in our DNA that is drawn to the color, the pattern, the comfort.

I collect keepsakes from my dogs — baby teeth, collars, toys, adoption documents, ashes, and pawprints.

Sam and Ringo hiking with Dad

1. Our internet at home is fixed, and the technician who came was nice and knew what he was doing and not the same one who jumped our fence the other day while we were at work, cut our line, and left a big mess (all while Sam was thankfully asleep inside and unaware, otherwise the situation could have been so much worse). I didn’t mind not being able to use my computer for stuff because I could use my phone or do things at work, but it meant we didn’t have TV, (since our version of “TV” is a computer hooked up to our TV so we can watch Netflix and Hulu and such). I’m not dependent, but it is a key way I unwind for a few hours after a long day of work and I missed it. Although, I did get to watch Lady Sings the Blues last night, one of my favorite movies.

2. Eric hiking with the dogs. Because he had to rearrange his schedule to be home for the cable guy, it left him free this afternoon and even though I’m a little jealous because I have a shit ton of CSU work I need to finish today and will be at it the rest of the day, I’m glad they get to go have some fun.

3. Going home for lunch. It’s only about a three minute drive, and if there is something there I really want to eat, it’s the best spot in town for a casual lunch, a little break from work.

4. Signs of Spring and 5. Taking a break: Walking back from returning something at the library, I stopped and went mad taking pictures of the cherry trees in bloom. I can’t pick just one to share, so here are a few of my favorites.

Bonus Joy: Laughing, walking with the dogs, making myself the best mixtape on SoundCloud, glazed lemon zucchini bread, hummus and sweet potato tortilla chips, a big glass of cold water, a retreat with the Open Heart Project Sangha, the Daily Dharma Gathering, the best BLT I’ve had in a long time, puppies both old and young, skipping yoga all week after teaching a lot, sunny weather, teasing our neighbor about the zombie proof raised beds he was building, letting my fear be rather than wishing it away or getting sucked into its story, selecting and sending birthday presents to my mom and dad, working and being done with work.