Wednesday, October 31, 2012

I love silence.  It's an incredible gift.  We have stellar neighbors, one of which has today taken the Littles for almost an hour while I've been able to sit quietly and write a little, do some picking up, and listen to the lovely sound of silence (even if the dryer and dishwasher are going).  A couple of weekends ago, The Man took Little Girls walking about and to the grocery, and all I did was sit quietly for the whole time.  I did a meditation, and simply sat.  It.was.lovely.

I'm getting better at recognizing these wonderful, simple, random opportunities to get some self-care in while I can.  Grateful great gratitudes for growth!

Halloween Gym

It happened this weekend I volunteered a Halloween party for the gymnastics gym.  I was a Floor Monitor, keeping small boys from using found weapons or spreading the pit foam about, quipping loud "hands to yourself!" when needed and dashing little hopes at injury by forbidding the p(arallel)-bars & beams.

The boys ran around in packs playing what appeared to be tag-em or shoot-em games.  The girls tried lots of tricks they aren't allowed to during classes and smaller knots of them grew and dispersed randomly.  There was a haunted house that sounded exactly like something I do not want my 6 yo in (maybe in a few more years).   Mostly older grade school and early high school kids, predominantly female.  Which made it easier to explain to F why she didn't need to be there (not to mention the multiple other activities for the weekend).

At some point booster moms walked about with bowls of candy causing screeching and clamoring.  There were handstand contests (won by the elites of course), limbo contests, and costume contests.  About 20 minutes after the candy handouts the activity reached a frenzied fever pitch of manic proportions and shortly after that I noticed kiddos surreptitiously dealing candy out to kids that didn't have anymore.

Candy, sugar actually, is like crack for kids as we well know.  I've noticed distinctly that right before the sugar crash happens they always go searching for more.  After 2 solid hours of phrenetic activity and sugar consumption, they were all sent home to sleep it off.

Always an adventure.
: )

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Delicate subject of pain

A dear friend recently remarked on "a belief in better living through chemistry".

I felt a little sad about that, partly that I know it's how most people approach life.  A consistent, vaguely desperate, outward search for a solution to discomfort they feel.  Avoiding the solution of focusing inward, finding the root cause, and properly healing.  From my experience emotional pain and physical pain can be equal in intensity and just as damaging if healthy healing attention isn't paid.

We have the amazing capacity to feel such a range of emotion, such a range of pain.  It's not always a bad thing.  I've come to believe that emotional pain and physical pain directly embody growth and change.  Growth and change are good, especially if I'm learning with it.

If I attempt to dull the pain of an experience I inadvertently truncate some aspect of my human experience.  For example, if I don't feel all the way into sorrow, how can I then stretch entirely into my joy?  For me the pain of childbirth was natural part of becoming a mother, I accepted it and I believe I'm stronger for it.

This is my human experience, I can think of no reason to limit it with avoidance mechanisms like media distractions, stuffing habits, or unnecessary medication (self or otherwise).

We are durable creatures, we are built for magnificence and enlightenment, don't rob yourself of a extravagantly full human experience with petty distractions.

Love On.
: )

Monday, October 15, 2012

A- autumn glory
B- being
C- change (Choose Having A New Growth Experience)
E- everything and everyone
F- flowers for Little Girl's mourning
G- girls giggling together
H- high and mighty gold in the hills
I- I AM
J- jokes of the 6 yo random knock-knock variety
K- kites
L- love of every kind, especially the random acts
M- money management
N- nonsense
O- oranges
P- people
Q- quietude
R- rest
S- silliness
T- trust
U- umbrellas
V- vicissitude
W- water
X- xenophilia
Y- yoga pants
Z- zebras added to the menagerie

Be grateful, it magnifies the moment aids in present-ness.  Just be grateful.
Be a Super Mom - Cloth Diaper with FuzziBunz diapers at Nurtured Family
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