It’s a tough question to answer in these unbelievable times.
If we’re honest with ourselves, how we are is complicated.
The other morning, I watched kids running down street with their mouths open wide to the sky, hopping and squealing over the first snowfall. Catching snow in their mouths, ballcaps, and scarves, they didn’t need lessons in mindfulness or living in the present moment. Their moment was all that existed.
Watching their joy brought me back to my own contentment. I forgot about later, tomorrow, and the next day. They were just being kids, doing their thing, but they were helping me without even knowing it.
A few hours later, I was in the grocery store, surrounded by a sea of expressionless humans avoiding each other (understandably). I wasn’t in the moment at all anymore. I was in resistance, fear, and worry about the future.
Allowing my feelings to work through, I reminded myself it’s okay to grieve the loss of normal human connection.
Like many of you, home has become office, and this has its comforts and challenges. I love wearing cozy pants every day, but at times I’m living a boring version of Groundhog Day, far too aware of the next garbage day!
Sometimes I’m encouraged by how well friends, students, and clients seem to be coping. Other times I look into the eyes of someone living in terror and wonder if they’ll ever leave their house again.
But then I come back to those kids eating snow. Unexpected simple pleasures are the moments to lean into now, recognizing and deepening into their magic. We can’t always manufacture these moments but we can recognize them when they come.
Some days they won’t come at all—but I promise they will return.
These moments are our lifeline now.
Your moment might come on a walk in nature, in the nuzzle of a pup’s wet nose, in meditation or prayer, in the touch of a familiar hand, or even on a work call when someone shares something heartfelt.
Each of us are feeling something different, but we’re all in this transformation together.
We are all being given the opportunity to feel more, heal more, and deal with more. This will teach us many things, as long as we stay soft inside and not allow fear to harden our hearts.
I don’t know about eating snow, but this season I do wish you many moments of turning your heart skyward, and feeling the exquisite beauty of this mixed up world.
I’d love to hear about your lifeline moments, in the comments below. Your examples inspire us all.
Grateful to be here with you all,
Tamika
My lifeline moment has finally arrived, I didn’t even realize what it was until last weekend. My girls wanted to paint, and I, dreading the clean up, pulled all the supplies out. I haven’t touched my paints in a long time now, and I have no clue why. I’ve found I’ve lost alot of my motivation to do the things I once loved, I’m assuming that’s a bit of depression sneaking in. Anyways, we started, and I just got lost in the motions, as I always do. It is such a clearing, refreshing, calming action for me to do. I am entirely focused, yet my mind is in utter stillness. The colours, the brush strokes, the images taking form, the act of creation itself is one of the most blissful moments that does pull me back from the future, from the past, and places me right where I need to be…in the now. It really does serve as a type of gentle meditation or trance, and time is irrelevant, until I look up at the clock and laugh, because somehow 3 hours has gone by! I will definitely be trying to use some “paint therapy” on myself at least once a week going forward, and I have my girls to thank for reminding me how healing this art can be!
I wish you all peace, laughter and love this season and always. ?
Oh Erin, what a beautiful practice, and one you can share with your precious family! So much Love to you, always!
Today I decorated gingerbread cookies with my step daughter. She’s into frogs right now so we made gingerbread frogs. Her artistic abilities means she takes her time with each one that includes referencing pictures for inspiration on the internet. While doing this I made some icebox cookies, a recipe my Mom always made but I have not successfully recreated in 7 years since she passed away!! Well maybe it was just the casual and relaxed atmosphere of the cookie decorating but they turned out today! I am glad I did not give up on this recipe. Persistence paid off and I hope we can all just take things in stride and not create too many expectations for our selves. Just be in the moment was my “aha” today.
Jeanette! The vision of you baking thoughtfully with your little artist is a warm vision on a chilly day! Thank you for sharing such a special experience with us. ?