Uncategorized | Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray)

1. Morning walks. It’s getting darker and colder, but we still get to see the sunrise. This morning we heard two owls but didn’t see them. We also got to see the trail Christmas trees, which are always decorated right after Thanksgiving.

Look at me. Ringo, look over here. Ringo. Ringo. Hey, bub, look at me. Oh, never mind…

2. Wild Writing. I practice with Mikalina every Tuesday and write with a group of women led by my dear friend and beloved teacher Laurie on Fridays. The practice is such a gift, to my writing and my heart.

3. Meditation. I’ve been practicing for close to 13 years now, teaching for three, and I love the way I come to it every time and it’s both the same and different. The repetition, coming back to practice again and again, teaches me so much about myself, the spaces where I’m resisting, the places where I’m at ease. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to sit with my discomfort and open to what is, that I have the courage to keep coming back, to be honest, to not abandon myself, to not give up.

4. Yoga. I can’t wait until I get to teach again, be in a the same place with other humans, hold space and support them as they practice. In the meantime, I’m happy to have my practice all to myself.

5. Bird bath and feeder. This week, we had to move the feeder up higher (as we suspected we would) because there was a fat squirrel getting at it — but when it did, two of our crow friends showed up and shooed him off! There was also a pair of woodpeckers who showed up one morning for a drink but the water was frozen, so they pecked away at it like the trunk of a tree and gobbled up the ice cubes they made. The chickadees are the cutest, so timid that they fly over and take just one seed or nut, and then fly over into the lilac bushes to eat it.

6. My tiny family. Seriously, Ringo is so cute sometimes I can hardly stand it. Eric has been working SO much this week. I’ll be glad when he gets to take a break. I miss him, even though he’s just in the other room.

Bonus joy: my new favorite coffee mug from Chloe’, books, podcasts, the box of candy Carrie gave me that I forgot I had until I JUST this minute when I noticed sitting next to my computer, hanging out with Mikalina, all the Christmas lights people in our neighborhood have put up, decorating for Christmas, being able to find good presents I can order and ship to my family (so I don’t have to go into stores to shop or stand in line at the post office), the greenest freshest spinach I’ve had in a while, a warm shower when I’m cold, a big glass of clean cold water, napping, watching Guy’s Grocery Games with Eric, masks, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.

More specifically, this week’s list is “things keeping me from giving up during a global pandemic.”

1. Morning walks. It seems like the morning light is lingering longer than in year’s past, and even though I’m not leaving later than usual, we still get to see the sunrise and I can turn off my headlamp before we get home. On a walk early in the week, I thought I saw a bald eagle but it was far enough away I thought it could also be an osprey. Then later in the week, a large bird took flight over my head and I assumed at first it was a heron but quickly realized it was a bald eagle, which means the one earlier in the week probably was too.

2. Ringo and I are a year older. I’m so glad that we are both still here, healthy and together. He’s the only dog we’ve had that we knew his real, actual birthday, and it’s the day after mine so very easy to remember. Even though a pandemic birthday is unusual, a little weird, not celebrated in the same way I usually might, I got so much love. I’m so grateful.

3. Comfort food and flowers in the bathroom and gummy supplements. Eric made me a pineapple upside down cake, nostalgic and yummy. He also brought home flowers for the bathroom and they smell so good. I also appreciate that all the supplements I take come in gummy form, as I hate taking pills.

4. Practice. Meditation, yoga, writing, and dog.

5. Good content. I watched the final season of Schitt’s Creek and the farewell special. I was late to the party, didn’t start watching until season four but quickly caught up, fell in love, cried and laughed. I’ve always loved Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy’s movies but wasn’t sure how that’d play in a TV series. It was smart, funny, weird, and so so sweet. Just what this moment needed. Also, if you are feeling lonely, pick a podcast and become a regular listener. After a bit, it’s weirdly like hanging out with your friends.

6. My tiny family. Eric is working from home full-time again. COVID-19 numbers are rising in Colorado, as they are everywhere, and they closed his physical campus again. He has next week off for Thanksgiving break and hopefully he’ll get to relax and rest — he’s been working so hard, (his skill set includes online education and active learning so he’s in high demand). Ringo has his own “work day” routine that has been entertaining both Eric and I: after a walk, he makes a bed out of pillows on the “big couch,” then moves to Sam’s couch where there’s a patch of sun most days, and then lands in his chair. At close to 10 am, he goes outside for his “morning break” — seriously, he’s on such a fixed schedule about it, it’s like he is wearing a watch. He spends the rest of the morning moving inside and out, barking at stuff, keeping an eye on his territory.

Bonus joy: Eric got me a bird feeder and I’m so excited to put it up (I don’t worry about becoming a “crazy” cat lady, but I do suspect I’ll be wearing pajamas covered in dog fur filling my collection of bird feeders and baths), sitting in the sauna with Eric, getting in the pool, writing and hanging out with Mikalina, Wild Writing, birthday love, texting with my mom and brother, eye drops, pizza, clementines, sharing a Clif bar with Ringo, my HappyLight, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.