On the first Monday of the month, I send out a looser, chattier article.
So, “hi.”
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Today’s newsletter is a compilation of a few short-thoughts on:
- joy
- less hate
- love
- patience.
Joy.
Joy doesn’t exist when we are in shame or guilt. Joy exists only when we feel light, forgiven. Open.
When I’m not feeling joyous, it might be a sign for me to ponder what’s holding me back and if I can be extra tender to myself.
G.K. Chesterton:
Angels can fly because they can take themselves lightly.
And a quote I saw that really struck home:
You’re not healing to be able to handle trauma. You are used to trauma. You are healing to be able to handle joy.
Amen.
Less Hate
I’ve recently taken to observing the sabbath by seeing if I can’t get 14 hours of relief from unnecessary hate.
I’ve written in the past about my Friday night practice of telling those with whom I eat what they mean to me.
Refraining from unnecessary hate is a new addition—to refrain from hate from Saturday morning until bedtime.
Sometimes this means asking for a change of conversation topics. Or excusing myself to another space.
Sometimes it means being aware that I’m being more judgmental than necessary.
Do you want a 14-hour respite from unnecessary hate?
How much do you want it?
Love.
Maya Angelou:
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
I saw a similar phrase recently that reminded me of this:
Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.
It gives good direction to what I’m we’re supposed to do.
Patience
On the web:
I didn’t realize I was supposed to know how to do everything by my second rodeo. Seems like a very low amount of rodeos.
When Emmett was a newborn, I panicked while changing his diaper.
“I can’t do this,” I cried desperately to Jane hoping she would come over and save me.
Instead she said something which we have referred to ever since as The First Rule Of The Mayer Family:
Everybody gets to learn, and everybody gets to make mistakes.
