Is it possible to be as sad as one can be and filled with joy at the same time? Yes. In fact, it is possible that the heartbreak I felt to be celebrating my niece's wedding without my brother (her dad) amplified the joy I felt for her and her new husband. Her wedding proved to me that if we don’t let ourselves fully feel the sorrows of life, we simply cannot fully experience its joys.
Man oh man. The world has lost some really good people lately - the ones who made the headlines and the ones perhaps only we know about. It is very good news indeed that just because they are no longer with us doesn't mean we won't still be touched by their light.
I've been feeling a little overstimulated lately as autumn and it's busyness starts to ramp up. Can you relate? When we're feeling out of whack, it's rarely dramatic change that is needed to get ourselves back in balance. Mostly, a subtle adjustment will do the trick. It's also good to remember that balance is a verb. Rather than being something we find and maintain, it's something we're always working on.
This summer, I have spent hours watering, feeding, pruning, harvesting fruit and simply enjoying my garden. It's not surprising at all to realize that I'm tending to more than my plants out there. I am also taking gentle care of myself.
In Scotland, where the weather can be moody, you learn how relaxing it is to go with the flow. You learn the beauty of savoring what you get to do and not worrying at all about what you don't. I am trying to bring a "wee bit" of this is a mindset home with me.
It can be hard to know what to do for someone who is hurting. Mostly, the right answer is to look for ways to love them. What does compassion like this look like? There are as many answers to this question as there are friendships. Trust that you'll know what to say or do because you love them.
We have a lot of experience living with adult kids. Though none of us would have chosen to be roommates, none of us would trade this time together either. I've learned through my practice that equanimity can not only get you through a lot of discomfort, but it can reveal glimmers of goodness as you do. Though living well with our kids again has taken some effort, we have shared treasured moments that we would never have had otherwise.
Friends, I am super P.O.'d. The worse part is that I'm not just P.O.'d at the person who upset me. I'm even more P.O.'d with myself for still being so P.O.'d. I would desperately like to stop this "extra," self-inflicted pain and suffering. What am I to do?
Everything in this world is made for our growth and evolution. Spring is the perfect season to witness Life all around us and to feel it bursting within us. All you have to do is step outside!