Monthly Archives: September 2015

Rooted

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What makes you feel rooted?

What makes you feel established and firmly grounded?

Where is your place, where you feel you belong?

I think growing older is a beautiful thing because I can feel myself more rooted in knowing who I am and what is important to me. These 2 things guide my daily choices, decisions and reactions to life’s daily events, opportunities, changes and challenges.

I am continuously learning and practicing (and failing) and connecting to all that is good and letting go of all that troubles me to live the best life possible, every day, moment to moment. I know this sounds dorky, but it’s true. It’s how I think and it works for me.

I wish the same for you, that you feel rooted and loved and valued and connected to this good life and to one another.
One Love.
nAMaste.

Create Space

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I’m loving the idea of creating space.

What does this mean to you?

Can you create space between your breathes?  In yoga today, at the end of our practice, Melissa had us take a deep breathe in and hold it. She then told us to breathe in a little more and hold it. And to do it once again. As we held our breathe and were thinking we were out of space in our lungs, we found more 3 times. We created more space and filled it with deep, full breathes and then let it all out. This felt so good.

We also used our breathe to stretch into a deeper stretch with each exhale. We closed the space to go deeper.

What about white space? Cassie has been using a white canvas to create space to display the things she discovers each day. In creating a clean, repeatable space, we her audience anticipate what she will find and present in this beautiful, simple space.

Here’s an example of her beautifully filled, magical space:  http://www.cassiacogger.com/blog/2015/9/26/on-magic-and-participation

Do you need more closet space? Try reading the Marie Kondo book to learn about the importance of creating meaningful and tidy spaces. You can find it on Amazon: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

What about space in your relationships? Are you giving your partner and/or yourself some breathing room? Togetherness is a wonderful thing, but so is time alone to do what you love and to be who you want to be. I’ve noticed that when I create and give space, intimacy fills it. When I try to fill the space by being too needy or demanding, the space becomes like a vacuum and connections are lost. This one is the most fascinating to me. It represents so clearly the push and pull we feel everyday, that yin and yang of tensions and desires.

How about at the end of the day? Do you leave space and time to unwind? Do you create space to snuggle with your kids or partner or pets instead of doing one more chore or checking one more email? I was resisting and practicing this one tonight. I so wanted to do the dishes and get the coffee ready, instead of indulging in snuggles and conversation. I wanted to get stuff done. I didn’t want to snuggle, yet I opened the space to the opportunity that presented itself and the space and love connection grew. I made the right choice, even though I struggled to give in to the calling. Love the little mentors in my life.

Can you do nothing? Can you sit still and allow yourself to be present and to just close your eyes and BE in the space you’re in without any expectations or worry? Sounds easy, but it’s not. Go ahead, try it. See where your mind goes and try to bring it back to the present moment again.

Enjoy the thought of creating your own space. What does it look like? What does it feel like? You get to choose. Just do it.

 nAMaste

Bicycle Safety

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This is strongly on my mind today. 

We spent an hour tonight attempting to teach this life lesson to Charlie and he struggled to hear what we were saying.

We live in Silicon Valley where everyone is in a hurry and on the road, often quite distracted. Bicyclists are not a priority and many times car drivers don’t see bicyclists.

Yesterday, I saw a boy sitting on the corner after being hit by a car while on his bike, surrounded by firemen, police men and ambulance technicians. He was in the crosswalk and one car stopped but the next car didn’t see him. Looks like he was shaken up and hopefully he is ok today.

Another freshman at a private Catholic school ran across the street and was hit by a passing car this week. He died tonight. This is such a tragedy for everyone. Prayers for Loukas and his family.

In the same week, my friend, sitting next to me at the water polo match, told me that her daughter was hit by a car while on her bike 2 years ago, by someone not looking.

And then today I received an email from a friend, telling me that she saw my son riding dangerously. She was worried about his safety and is a good friend for telling me her perspective.

I have fear. I wish I didn’t. I am allowing Charlie to ride, despite my HUGE fears, but we were relentless in teaching him how to ride safely and to make eye contact with drivers before taking his right away.

This parenting thing is not easy. I hope he heard us, and applies what he learned as he continues to go out in the world, and becomes more and more independent, and hopefully safe.

Wishing you safe travels. Slow down. Put your phone away. Drive safely and beware of children out and about, walking and playing, especially before and after school hours.

Namaste 

Youth Sports

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Sometimes I love them and sometimes I despise how much time they take. Don’t get me wrong. I want my kids to play and be active and to be part of a team and I love watching them. 

I want all the benefits and yet sometimes the work (hours of practices and games and driving all around and interruptions and managing logistics and uniforms) makes me want to throw in the towel.

Although tonight, I was so into the game and the action and watching Juliana’s team gel and work together and play well as a team. I was jumping out of my seat with excitement and cheering and enjoying being in the moment. I loved watching them go from playing conservatively, to full on dominating the game with assertiveness. I am thankful that she is dedicated and working hard and learning and growing and loving it. I am thankful that I was able to be there, to observe and to share in her moment on a gorgeous fall evening and that sports are a big part of our family experience.

  
I love sports and I love athleticism and I know that it’s all worth it. I am reminded that usually what brings us joy requires work and dedication and determination.

It’s all worth it.

nAMaste

Mentors

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Everyone should have at least one mentor, preferably at each life stage, as we are learning and navigating our chosen paths.  I have had many and have several now too. When I think of each one, I smile because of the fond memories and experiences we have shared.

We are human. We learn from and mimick each other, which is why I think it’s important for us to have people that we look up to and admire and who provide us with examples of how we want to live and practice being who we are. 

Knowledge is easily transferred from the one who knows and has wisdom and the one who is learning and back again. We shape each other, and that’s a beautiful thing. Choose wisely with whom you surround yourself and share your time.

  
Who are you some of your mentors and what are you learning?  Who do you admire and for whom are you grateful. Tell them. 🙂

nAMaste

Thank You

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I believe in gratitude and the art of hand written thank you letters, acknowledging the connection between the giver and the recipient and closing the circle. I think taking the time to acknowledge one another is important. Someone takes the time to select and choose and prepare and deliver a gift with a thoughtful heart. The receiver should also take the time to acknowledge the work of the giver and thank them for thinking of them. This creates a bond between two people.

But what happens when one writes the thank you notes and yet never delivers them?

 
Yep. That’s what we do in our family. Notice I say we and don’t take the blame entirely. I’ve given commands and I’ve placed them in safe places and moved them from tables to desks to shelves to the car and back again and yet never quite get them to the right place. 

We write the perfectly imperfect thank you notes and just save them. 

Forever. 

Until it’s too embarrassing to deliver them (or we can’t find them) and I feel too badly to throw them away. What would Marie Kondo say to do? Do they bring me joy? No. They bring me guilt. But I do like seeing the names on the cards and recalling the sweet memories that prompted us to write in the first place.

Could I call this Gratitide Art? That’s being creative!

I just think I missed the mark and created the perfectly imperfect and useless thank you card, never acknowledging the gratitide we feel out loud. That’s embarrassing.  

Tomorrow I will say goodbye to these thank you notes and forgive myself and my family for not following through and expressing our joy in a timely manner. I’ll thank these little cards for their service and set them free with apologies to whom they belong for never reaching your hands. Thank you Miss Kondo.

My friends and family, you are loved and appreciated, even if you don’t ever receive your receipt! I hope you know.

Thank You and You’re Welcome!