Tuesday, January 1, 2019

What's Isn't Wrong?

I glanced in a mirror yesterday and made a face unintentionally, unkindly, at my reflection. I then fixed my hair.
My middle child, catching this, barked at me,
"You always do that when you look in a mirror. Stop fixing stuff. You're fine. Just see that you're fine!"
(She has always been my mentor.)
I made a promise to myself that I would do just that... which lasted until the next mirror/facetime/snapchat/surprise selfie mode when opening my camera.

This morning I was listening to my first dharma talk of the new year which fell in line with my struggle in some capacity. It certainly gave me a mantra that is useful for many with whom I work and love:

What
Isn't
Wrong

So simple and so arresting.
I shared it with my mindful co-workers as they share the job of guiding a group of children who mainly see what is stacked against them every day.

My middle child was on the floor in the tame throes of some tame injustice this morning when I asked her,
"Evie, what's not wrong?"
Her body became still and her head whipped around towards me. She responded,
"What's NOT wrong?"
"Yes."
"Ummmm...I know where the cats are now and my blanket is very fluffy."
"Hm. Nice."

She lay there a few minutes more, and then got up and made herself comfy on her favorite couch.

I can't promise myself that I won't stop fixing things when caught in a mirror. I can only ask myself to be kind to myself. I am not naive enough to think that this question will always be helpful.

I can only remind myself that, for the most part, when one asks the question, What Isn't Wrong, the list will run longer than that of What Is Wrong. And, if you are one for lists, it is one that will bring lightness into the self, rather than the dread and dragging down of a list of things that aren't right and aren't good.

Let go of that which doesn't serve you.
Drop the hot rocks that burn.
Don't hold them to hurl or use at another time as only you continue to burn.

What's not wrong on this New Year Day?

3 comments:

  1. Great words of wisdom; thanks for sharing them. Happy New Year Kate!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is great! I didn’t realize you had a blog ��
    I’ll be following in this year to come ��

    ReplyDelete