This music video gets at the heart of what being a therapist, and indeed, life, is all about for me. I am posting it in honor of my 49th birthday and how I choose to live life, continually asking the question--"How would it be?"
With deep gratitude,
Jane/BG
Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
The Gift of Grasping
When a part of us wants to grasp onto love, that part is showing us we can love ourselves more.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
My Heart Burst
Today I just got to hold a little six week old bundle of love.
It feels odd to feel so full of gratitude to hold a child as I commence on my journey to write a book for women over 40 who did not have children. My friend (the new mom) took my picture as I snuggled my cheek against the head of her son. Her comment—“You look so maternal!” I felt maternal.
Odd again.
I found myself full of wonder at this little being and profoundly happy to be in his presence. And just yesterday I was feeling grateful that I could choose to take a nap instead of having to take care of kidlets. Literally, I was just thinking that thought the day before my heart burst.
Both/and.
Not even 24 hours after I was feeling so happy to have the freedom to make decisions based on my energy level rather than the needs of a child, I witnessed the gift of an open heart an infant brings. I felt like Kathy Perry’s video, where fireworks are coming out of her chest.
(I highly recommend watching this video, it brings a smile to my face every time.)
I found myself feeling almost guilty at how happy I was to hold the baby. How could I write a book about meaning beyond motherhood if I could go so ga-ga over a baby?
Luckily, I decided that thought was silly.
Life certainly is more interesting when we can hold the both/and instead of the either/or.
It feels odd to feel so full of gratitude to hold a child as I commence on my journey to write a book for women over 40 who did not have children. My friend (the new mom) took my picture as I snuggled my cheek against the head of her son. Her comment—“You look so maternal!” I felt maternal.
Odd again.
I found myself full of wonder at this little being and profoundly happy to be in his presence. And just yesterday I was feeling grateful that I could choose to take a nap instead of having to take care of kidlets. Literally, I was just thinking that thought the day before my heart burst.
Both/and.
Not even 24 hours after I was feeling so happy to have the freedom to make decisions based on my energy level rather than the needs of a child, I witnessed the gift of an open heart an infant brings. I felt like Kathy Perry’s video, where fireworks are coming out of her chest.
(I highly recommend watching this video, it brings a smile to my face every time.)
I found myself feeling almost guilty at how happy I was to hold the baby. How could I write a book about meaning beyond motherhood if I could go so ga-ga over a baby?
Luckily, I decided that thought was silly.
Life certainly is more interesting when we can hold the both/and instead of the either/or.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The Paradox of Grasping
Grasp onto only what you want to fly away. Test this with any cat or teenager.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Content versus Happy
I once had a boyfriend who told me “I’m happy, but I’m not content in this relationship.”
Huh? “Isn’t happy better than content?” I asked him. I forget what he said, but I didn’t understand it. We broke up. (Not, in case you are wondering, just because of that comment.)
Today, I finally got it. I’d had one of those days with both highs and lows in it. I realized I was content with the day. To me, “content” stems from an internal sense of balance. Whatever the world throws at me, I get to choose how to respond. “Happy” seems to be more externally or situationally driven. It can be more fleeting, depending on what is happening in my life.
Then it hit me…I’d rather be content than happy. I finally understand.
Thank you, Darrick, for planting that seed all those years ago.
Huh? “Isn’t happy better than content?” I asked him. I forget what he said, but I didn’t understand it. We broke up. (Not, in case you are wondering, just because of that comment.)
Today, I finally got it. I’d had one of those days with both highs and lows in it. I realized I was content with the day. To me, “content” stems from an internal sense of balance. Whatever the world throws at me, I get to choose how to respond. “Happy” seems to be more externally or situationally driven. It can be more fleeting, depending on what is happening in my life.
Then it hit me…I’d rather be content than happy. I finally understand.
Thank you, Darrick, for planting that seed all those years ago.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Realization #1927
The more tightly I try to hold onto something I believe is mine, the more fragile my possession becomes.
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