Love? Love! Love . . .
There are many emotions swirling in and around me in recent weeks about many different things. Some are about my own personal journey at this time in my life. Other thoughts and feelings are about our collective journey and where my community, state (Minnesota) and nation (United States of America) are at. Some emotions are uplifting and helping me through the days— little joys, doses of healthy acceptance, experiencing love and laughter with people (and a pet) that I care about. Other emotions are weighing me down— fear, despair, anger, impatience, compassion. Compassion can be draining at times. Times like this.
So I do what I can. I lean into love. Love? Yes. love. Love! Love . . . like these moments . . .
*morning hugs with my husband Darcy
*looking into our puppy Gracie’s dark brown eyes with love flowing between us
*my first sip of coffee in the morning, with frothed milk adding to the love
*catching a noisy door before it slams–maintaining a little peace and quiet where I can
*getting back into a morning meditation/tuning into my breathing routine
*observing Gracie when she is done for the day and winds down to sleep in one of her favorite spots
*a walk with a friend who needed time to move and to share
*a good scoop of ice cream
*writing this
I also love the words of my favorite poet, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. Here is a recent poem of hers:
The more complex the problem,
the more trapped, the more closed in I feel,
the more I learn to trust what is simple,
the way the potato in the cupboard
does the one thing it can do—
it calls on whatever thrives inside itself,
then grows doggedly, awkwardly toward the light.
I want to turn toward the life that lives through me.
Give it all my energy. Offer it back to the world.
What can I offer back to the world today? What can I do to nourish myself and bring compassion with me as I move through the day? This little heart plate with lightweight little roses in it is sitting on our TV stand, reminding me to unburden and bring love and compassion when and where I can. Love is action. Love is silence. Love is loud. Love is messy. Love is visible and invisible. Love is meant to be defined and shared by each of us each day. Onward, with love.
