Sunday, March 30, 2014

All Your Weird Little Ways






March 30. 2014

I sleep with books. but I've told you this before.

When I'm not reading them, I like to be surrounded by them. Like a nest of books. Or a litter of kittens or puppies, each book cute and cuddly in its own way curled up on my bed, or in the passenger seat of my car. (I never leave home without a book.) Some books are maybe not so cute, more odd and psychologically provoking, lots are soothing, entertaining, spiritually eye-opening?

I dog-ear pages. The top corner turned over is where I've left off. The bottom dog-ear is for a page that has something I want to remember, a section I want to read over because it's so good.

Like this from Start Where You Are by Pema Chodron -

Although it is embarrassing and painful, it is very healing to stop hiding from yourself. It is healing to know all the ways that you're sneaky, all the ways that you hide out, all the ways that you shut down, deny, close off, criticize people, all your weird little ways. You can know all that with some sense of humor and kindness. By knowing yourself, you're coming to know humanness altogether. We are all in this together...

The author says this is what I'm wondering about
I say, yes, I get it and thanks so much for sharing.

I was up in the night, 1:45, and read from a little book called Be Generous by David Marell. This is a fine read if you're worried about your Dad calling to tell you he's thinking of selling lollipops, or that your mother-in-law has told your husband that she's tired of living. Reading in the night helps if you miss the husband on the other coast working and tending to his elderly warrior mom. You would gladly move the books off his side of the bed to make room.


not my mother-in-law


David Marell writes tiny mantras like this, a personal favorite:


It Will All Work Out

It's okay
It's okay
It's okay
I'm not in control of the universe
I'm not in control of the universe
I'm not in control of the universe
I'm not in control of the universe
I'm not in control of the universe
Let it be
Let it be
Just let it be

I like how he says I'm not in control of the universe 5 x




I am not in control of the universe either, although in the fifth grade, I was a safety crossing guard at PS 98. I wore the white belted sash across my chest and cautioned children to look both ways when crossing the street. 

I thrived at that job.

stop. go. no you wait.come on.




The girls have gone out in the pouring rain to 

save worms.

I am not saving worms. 

I am in my nest of books with Owen. 
He looks cuddly but don't try to pick him up. 



May you go through this week with some sense of humor and kindness towards all your weird little ways, and mine too. 

May we hold the thought ~ it'll all work out. 

Whatever it is.

May we remember that we're all in this together. 



namaste.

xo b


1 comment:

  1. Hey, I was a crossing guard in fifth grade too, and I quite enjoyed it. PS107. But I also like not being in control of the universe... thank you Betsy, for all your great words and photos, I always feel so much better after being with them! (Also, loved the rubbery doll photos from the other day!)

    ReplyDelete