Err On the Side of Kindness

Team Work
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Our Thanksgiving celebration was different in many ways. No turkey. Or ham. This year? Beef.

My niece, Moiria, and I were in charge of the Gluten Free, Vegan Entree for the table . . . Moira selected the recipe; I gathered the ingredients. We cooked together Thanksgiving afternoon.

I loved both the preparation and the result. Yotam Ottolenghi’s Sweet Spiced Mushroom Apricot Pilaf is both hearty and delicious!! 

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Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
~ Song of Myself, 51, Walt Whitman

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Swear the Truth 
The WHOLE Truth

Beautiful beings,

I want to begin today by wholeheartedly exclaiming . . . I have so, so much I am grateful for!

It’s entirely true. 

And, it’s not the entire story.

As people began arriving to my Monday morning class at Satya, there was a lot of lightheaded chatter about the Thanksgiving holiday . . . where everyone spent the day, how many people at the table, our favorite dish, etc. It was warm and uplifting.

When another woman entered the room, I continued with cheer: “How was your Thanksgiving?”

She shrugged her shoulders, raised an eyebrow, and emitted an exhausted groan. She was not smiling.

The shift throughout the room was palpable 

She didn’t skip a beat and asked: “Oh, are we not being honest in here?”

I love her response and applaud her authenticity. 

This moment was a simple, yet profound, reminder of something I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately: how jarring the juxtapositions in life can be. 

At the top, I told you the sweet version of the story of cooking with my niece. The smiley photo verifies my joy, and it is the truth. 

What’s missing is the fact that I really had a difficult time summoning the bandwidth and the energy to gather, and transport, all those ingredients. It felt difficult, and complicated, on top of everything else swirling in my life at that precise moment. 

I struggled to pull everything together for this complex dish. 
I enjoyed preparing and eating this delicious mushroom rice pilaf. 

Both are entirely true. 

For me, this simple example can be expanded to meet the complexities of living in today’s world. My day to day life, in so many ways, is lovely. And yet, I have ​
struggles that are very real. Expanding outwards, how can our day to day life be joyful when there is so much pain, suffering, insecurity, and destruction happening around us? 

As we head into the busyness of the holiday season, let’s each remember to pause. Breathe. Give ourselves a moment to feel into how we are doing. To ground down and be supported by the earth. That way we can better rebound and rise.
Let’s set our hands on our heart, tuning into the frequency of our heart space, so we can better meet the moment from a place of coherence. Let’s rest. And allow ourselves to be renewed. 

And let’s remember we don’t ever know what’s fully happening in another’s life. So, when in doubt, let’s lead with love. Go with grace. And err on the side of kindness. 

Every single one of us contains multitudes. 

So much gratitude for each one of you,

~ m

P.S. The Winter Solstice Yoga event is ON! Please join Teresa and I at the Saugatuck Yacht Club: Thursday, December 21 | 6:30 - 8:00 PM. We’ll move, breathe, meditate, and enjoy healing sounds . . . all in the gorgeous clubhouse @ SYC | 15 Park Street | Saugatuck. Registration Recommended