For 16+ years, Noreen and I lived near Bug Light in South Portland. During blizzards I’d snowshoe to the lighthouse with friends (much to Nor’s chagrin). We’d watch the harbor churned up; ocean spray instantly freezing as waves hammered the shoreline. During Winter Storm Nemo the winds were so strong, we’d lean forward feeling the support of the air holding us up!
Read MoreLast week I was all ready to ship out the weekly email when I learned beloved Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh has passed away. So instead of sending out the regular email I pushed “pause” to allow myself to reflect over the weekend.
Over the past few days, thanks to our modern connected world, I have observed some of the rites, rituals, and celebrations that the monastic community has shared for all to see and participate in. It has been so moving, and helpful in reflecting upon his influence on me.
I have a deep seed of gratitude for all that I’ve gained through these teachings.
This week I’ve been thinking about the expectations of ourselves that we hold onto. Questions I've been asking:
How are these formed? Where did they come from? How are they reinforced? How do you act on them? Why are you holding yourself to them? What happens when you meet the expectation? What happens when you miss that expectation?
And the answers… woof. The answers are as varied, vast, unique, and complex as there are people. And while I’ve got some opinions (ha!) this week I’m working with the practices to help navigate these complicated woods.
Here’s an example that came up in a few different ways over the past few weeks:
But in this small little piece of light there is great potential. All it needs is gentle nurturing, careful handling, and devoted attention. Working with the proper environment, with fuel, space, and oxygen, that ember can grow. Eventually, that ember slowly heats up, brighter, hotter, fiercer and then it catches on.
The fire starts to burn again.
“Only I didn't say ‘Fudge.’ I said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the ‘F-dash-dash-dash" word!’ -Ralphie in the film A Christmas Story
You know that feeling when you do the work – set up the things, plan it all out, all lined up. And you walk away feeling proud that you managed to get it all squared away and can’t wait to see it unfold.
But then, you find out later there was a key important detail that you skipped. So none of that work actually completed? Or it was wrong.
I sat in my chair watching as the big feelings swirled around me. Then the random playlist I was listening to fell on the song “Hula Hoop to the Loop” by Keller Williams.
Keller Williams is one of my favorite musicians – talented, creative, innovative, funny. This song is typical of Keller’s style. It has a sweet groove, whimsical lyrics. It's light hearted music to dance to!
Closing my eyes and feeling the “home-office-dance-party” mode start to activate, his lyrics suddenly sounded like a thunderclap in my brain:
Walking down the street recently, I spotted a nail in the travel path of the intersection. I reached down, picked it up, brought it home and tossed it in the tool box.
I don’t know if picking up that nail made any bit of positive difference at all. After all, it is impossible to prove something that did not happen, would have actually happened if no action had taken place. But it seems like a worthwhile effort.
