Gratitude Friday

2 Replies

This post is a mashup of The Little Bliss List and Joy Jam, and as such is meant to celebrate: the little things that brought me hope and happiness this week, the sweet stuff of life, those small gifts that brought me joy this week. By sharing them, I not only make public my gratitude, but maybe also help you notice your own good stuff and send some positive energy out into the world.

1. Fall. Sweet, cool, comforting, glorious, gorgeous fall. The time in Colorado when the temperatures cool, the leaves turn golden and purple and red, but the sky turns an even bluer blue. Oh how I missed you, wool socks and cashmere sweaters and long pants and down blankets and yes, even you sweet gloves and hat. And soup and hot cider! *sigh*

2. My Writing for the Web class, the community they are forming, the voices emerging, the kind and gentle conversations, the laughter, the bright ideas, the trust and steps towards courage, authenticity.

3. Relaxation of fear and worry, softening of tension, easing into uncertainty and staying with the strong emotions, the experience, surrendering to what is, as it is.

4. Dahlias. Whenever I am having a rough time, am tired or struggling, a jar full of flowers on my writing desk, or a few blooms on my meditation shrine always make me happy, always provide comfort.

5. Homemade breakfast burritos. I have been craving, cooking, and devouring these this week.

6. Dog dreams, and especially all the noises they make, the whimpers and half barks, and the way their feet twitch and “run.”

Bonus Joy: Dexter jumping into our bed today to say good morning, which is a sure sign he’s feeling better. And the cutest thing: because he’s been feeling yucky, when we go somewhere we’ve been leaving the door of his crate open, and the past few days when we’ve returned, there he is, asleep in his crate anyway. Also, when I got home from work yesterday, the weather was so nice and cool, that we hung out in the backyard playing with his favorite toy, Little D, a Cattle Dog stuffed toy that looks an awful lot like a Mini Dexter should. Dexter maybe, might, probably has a fatal cancer, but for now, the quality of his life is second only to how much I love and appreciate him.

Strength Training

4 Replies

Facing your fear, confronting your grief, softening to strong emotions and relaxing with discursive thoughts, staying with reality rather than getting hooked by a story or grasping at hope, letting go, surrendering instead of running away or rejecting or numbing out, is like lifting weights, like strength training–-the more you do it, the stronger you get, the more solid your confidence and courage become, the more open and whole your heart, the more complete and fulfilling your life.

And when the next wave of pain or suffering comes, it’s not so likely to knock you down. You will be less apt to freak out or fall over. You might even find that the strength of your core, the power of your presence is such that you stand as it washes over you, heart open and mind calm and surrounded by love even as your heart breaks.

The point is: the bad stuff won’t stop coming, won’t go away. There is no safe place, no ground to stand on that won’t continue to shift and change under your feet. What will happen is you will be able to stay with it, clarity and compassion and wisdom will arise, and you will find yourself rising up to meet it, strong and tender even if you are terrified.

You’ve got this. You know what to do. You are loved and you are not alone.