The places we go to be seen
How often do we find ourselves in spaces with other humans where we are invited to discover them in their fullness and in that process find ourselves? I suspect for most, this experience is woefully scarce. Yet, it is immensely needed.
Finding Grace on #FallbackDay
Today is #FallbackDay in North America. As in the day our clocks fall back for daylight savings time. It’s also the day I’ve claimed to reflect on our fallbacks – our unceremonious falls from our normal capacities to show up bigger…to ourselves, to those around us, to the world at large.
Cultivating Wild
When I was a child, I was a good girl, a rule follower, in truth, a full-on goodie two shoes. I don’t know that I would have opted in for that role given the full array of choices. But, I was the second of two children, and my sister, Stephanie, had already claimed the bad girl by the time I arrived and got my wits about me. And because early childhood and adolescence is a time of differentiation and black-and-white thinking, I chose the opposite path from Stephanie at almost every turn. The better path. The right path. And, I was rewarded for it.
rehearsing for summer
Months ago, I served as a chaperone for my daughter’s field trip. I took this picture as a way of congratulating myself for recognizing what scaffolds I would need to support me showing up aligned with my intention – to be in the moment with my daughter as she experienced her first ever field trip…as I entered into her space with the companions who fill her daily life. I was quite clear that a 45-minute ride on a school bus with 100 first-time-school-bus-riding third graders was not going to support me in meeting my intention. I opted to drive myself. Yay, me!
Today, on the first day post my kiddo’s school year, I sit on the cusp of another potentially fallback-inducing experience – summer.
Grown-Ass Woman Meltdown #1
So far, the musings on this website have been largely absent the fallback episodes that pepper my days. Lest you think it’s because I’m sailing through my newfound roles and newfound co-habitating-while-co-working waters at a graceful and efficient clip, allow me to disabuse you of that notion. Let me assure you that there have been many “I need a moment” proclamations followed by intentional deep breathing to allow me to recover and return to my day without losing my shit – inwardly and outwardly. In fact, it’s probably because my fallback occurs many times a day in many micro forms, that I haven’t tended to write about them. After all, I am in the midst of learning-while-doing my new full-time job homeschooling a kindergartener and a fourth grader. It’s hard to find the time to document all the small episodes during which I don’t show up my Big Self. Both, because the time is scarce and the fallbacks are plenty.
Do what you love + other ramblings + addendum to “signs” post
There are many things that we cannot do now. Yet, there are no doubt things that you love to do, that in the course of your normal life what with the kids’ sports and activities schedule, your own social calendar, work commitments, in short, life as you knew it when you were able to leave your home… you had a hard time finding time for. Remember what that thing is, and do it.