Everyday joy. 07/06/2011
 One of my girlfriends is truly like a sister to me and our boys (born within a month of each other) are the best of friends. One of my favorites stories is when asked by his dentist if he had any siblings my friends' son replied "Nope but I have a Ryder." As a result, we end up spending A LOT of time together (the boys wake up asking for each other). She saves me a 100 times a month - I love her for it and am so damn thankful she exists in my world. She listens, remembers, bears witness to my history, challenges me, takes the kids when I need it, says the right thing when I need it and the wrong thing when I need it, and is one of those people you can also just sit and be with. This weekend we went on a "walk-about" - which means throwing the boys in strollers early in the morning and setting out for the day. We have coffee, go to parks, lunch, the lake, etc. We walk and talk. And I'll be honest she has had one hell of a decade. Within in the last 4 years she has lost one of her amazing brothers and her beloved father - and prior to that another beautiful sibling 3 years earlier. And on top of that the rest of stuff life throws at you. As we walked and talked we spoke of joy and how elusive it can be especially when grieving (it is the one year anniversary of her brothers' death). And of how you lose interest in anything other than getting through the day, week, month, the year. I shared that I think the place to start may be the seeing/feeling the joy the everyday moments. We walked in silence and she said "people watching in a coffee shop." For the rest of the walk we conversed only in sentences about the everyday moments of joy (I'll be honest at first quite a few ended with...and a glass of wine.)
The next day she and I met another friend for drinks and I shared that I had this amazing day after that walk and that I thought it was because of all the thinking about joy. She looked at me and said "me too." Maybe I save her just a little...at least I hope. So for myself, I am declaring this month the month of EVERYDAY JOY. This Sunday we will playing with the theme of JOY at Julie Kesti and I's Creative-Tea. Some painting, collaging, and massage. Yeah! Contact me to sign-up we have a few spots left. P.S. Today we talked and she said she has continually returned to the theme of joy ...the everyday moments and being able to recognize them when they are happening. Ahhh... 1 Comment Really, I know this... 05/24/2011
Really, I do know this...but realized after sitting in the doctor"s office for an hour and half trying to entertain two preschoolers with a tongue depresser and a dixie cup, that I have forgotten that the power of gratitude has everything to do with being grateful in the difficult times not in the ones where life is flowing well. And while I realize that my example doesn't compare to the loss of job, dealing with a serious illness, or other life transition - it was a moment of connection for me. Duh! As Pema Chodron says it is in the dark, stuck moments that we need to look to our blessings and that in doing so we train our brains to focus on the beauty and bounty in our lives. Celebrating in the little things trains our minds to focus on joy in the moment. I encourage you when you find yourself struggling against the day to slow down and reflect in the moment about what you feel grateful for. What can you celebrate? Walking out to the car after the appointment holding my little ones' hand I reflected on how blessed I am to have two living children and spent the rest of the day celebrating the moments with them.     Week of Gratitude 11/22/2010
 Join me this week in celebrating Thanksgiving by creating a gratitude list every day... 1. A slow start to the day 2. Waking up surrounded by my boys and having breakfast in bed 3. Listening to new music that moves me 4. A good cup of coffee 5. Boys playing well together giving me enough time to organize holiday lists Love this life. Wish Tree... 10/26/2010
Came across this on a run and fell in love with it. What inspiration.. What is your wish?    Late-night gratitude 05/05/2010
One of the downfalls of working at night is that I often come home a little to keyed up to go to bed. And so tonight instead of slipping into bed wide-awake I took a moment to sit outside, relax, and reflect. In the moment of stillness I immediately thought of my "favorite part" of today - a practice we do with the boys at mealtimes that is sometimes touching but usually ends up in "I am grateful for my sandwhich." It was easy tonight to generate a gratitude list. I feel blessed...
 The Right Moments 01/26/2010
My intention this past holiday season was to be relaxed and joyful. In preparation I reflected on traditions I wanted to create for my family and planned accordingly. And in spite of all my organization, it all started to unravel when my dear overworked husband showed up (he arrived at the grandparents a day later) with only half the gifts. Panicked I made the three hour drive to retrieve them before the blizzard hit and then unraveling continued. Christmas eve involved a trip to urgent care with my little one to discover a double ear infection and pneumonia, my new computer started on fire, and my well-intentioned mother forgot where she put the gifts my sibling had purchased. Many other family mini-dramas ensued and I developed a horrible cold. On the last night of our visit, snuggled up in the comfy hotel bed, I was reflecting on the craziness and realized I was focusing on the wrong moments - the draining ones, the things that went wrong. And not on the wonderful moments - watching my little one's joy as he tried downhill skiing for the first time, laughing with my brother and husband as they struggled to put together toys, sharing a meal with all my family, and many more. As I navigate the new year I am reminding myself to focus on the moments - the positive ones - and to let go of the negative. | AuthorSarina LaMarche  ArchivesJanuary 2012 CategoriesAll |
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