Tag: welcome

Christmas Reflections

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In preparing for Christmas and this New Year – I have been so focused on where I want to be, my goals and aspirations, that I haven’t appreciated that where I am is pretty amazing. This time of year always inspires Christmas reflections and gratitude. Everything I have this year was once a dream, everything from writing this note, to where I am physically. I feel a debt of gratitude and recognition of what we have been able to build in the last twelve months. We have accomplished a lot this year. But before rushing to list those things I want to be present. Being here in whatever this suspended time of the year is for all of us.

The time and space after the build up to Christmas, the lull, and almost comatose vegging out of the week between Christmas and New Years. There is no need to purchase anything, we are dining on left-overs. We are hungover from all of the traditional social interactions and family gossip. Thinking about the year to come or not thinking at all. Watching too many Hallmark movies and just being still. What an absolute gift to ourselves. It is a joy to be able to rest and to feel no obligation to instruct, guide, or lead. We are simply present and maybe only vaguely aware – the days blend together and all of it melds peacefully into one restive blob. 

This year I am grateful for our first year in our new home, I’m grateful for health, and I’m grateful for rest. I’m grateful that my family is here around me. I’m grateful we have each other and that we are able to celebrate the holidays together. Grateful for quiet afternoons, naps, and ease. I am grateful to myself for taking this time and not pressuring myself to be productive. 

I am so grateful for relaxing family nights and the joy of sharing a family meal. I am glad for what we have and what we share. Every night this week we have prepared a meal from scratch. Some meals are more ornate and involved than others. But most are simple family recipes that are our own traditions. “Oh Christmas Bahn Mi,” and Grandma’s Chicken Parmesan.

These are delicious and filling meals that not only satisfy our need for dinner but will also make enough to freeze. This is a gift we give ourselves. Before we are in that zone of too much presents, food, and dessert we cook. That way when all we are seeking is a Christmas carrot – there will still be food prepared that requires no effort. We simply warm it up and we are nourished and satisfied. What a gift this time is to rest, relax and deeply nourish ourselves and our families. 

We often spoil each other with gifts and treats. When really, the gift we all want is to watch an old movie, to rest and relax together. We want to be our honest and unguarded selves. Our only goal is to luxuriate in the slower pace and feel no obligation to rush, attend to, or show up for anyone or anything else. Just to simply be peaceful, easy, and home. 

And maybe that’s what I’m writing about after all. These Christmas reflections are about finding home where ever we are and with whomever we choose. The creation of safety, peace, and security. The gift of protection, honesty, new traditions and old melding into the creation of home. We are grateful for building a life and space where everyone is loved and accepted exactly as they are and loved.

We are all so deeply loved and I don’t know what to call it. This may not even have a name but it feels safe, cozy, hygge, health, love, warmth, ease, peace, and tenderness. Whatever the German word for this is, I feel it deep in my soul. I am content and I am happy. This is all I’ve been looking for all my life, and here I have it. More than anything I hope you do too. Here in this virtual living room I hope you feel it. You are all so welcome here, I love you, I’m glad you came, let’s watch another movie.

Things I Love: An Introduction

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We’ve been at this blogging business for more than a year now and I think it’s time I re-introduce myself – and perhaps make a note to introduce myself more frequently. Perhaps every six months or so? Anyway, I am Mary – I love nature, travel, fine food and wines, milk chocolates, cozy homes, and old friends. I believe in empathy and kindness, and strive to be the Mr. Rogers of my neighborhood and every community I enter. I believe in meditation and self-love over self-improvement. I am a natural empath and community creator. I write, paint, and take pictures. I love to read and visit old homes and museums. I am always watching wild-life and adore small town living. 

This space is my virtual home where I share my thoughts, what I’m working on, and what I’ve learned along the way. I share what I have gained in hopes that the lessons learned might help someone else move further along. I love sunsets and simple pleasures. I also love luxuries and will effortlessly select the most expensive car, gown, jewels, and accessories from any grouping – I have a natural eye for quality. I am incredibly choosy and remind my partner of this whenever he is having a tough time selecting the right gift for me, I like what I like and I don’t like what I don’t, I own this because it is simply the truth. 

I believe in spoiling children and that I have already learned far more from them than I could every hope to teach. I am grateful, deeply religiously grateful for all I have and all that has yet to come my way. I keep a growth mindset and a wheaten terrier close by to ensure humility. And I love my life, I’m so happy to share it with the world. That said, this is my virtual living room, no socks on the floor. If you make a mess you will clean it up or I will kindly ask you to leave, this is a space for comfort, safety, delight, and dazzlement. There is no room for disrespect or unkindness. I like you already, I know we’ll be friends, I can’t wait to see what you bring to the conversation. 

Now I’ll get back to the work of creating and I hope you’ll put on the kettle and cuddle up and join me.


Some conversation starters if you’d like to chat: What have you created lately that you are proud of? Is there a house rule you particularly remember or love from your own childhood? What lessons did you learn in Kindergarten that you still carry with you today?

Welcome

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We’ve all seen the inspirational meme to envision your highest self and then show up as them in your daily life. Well, what if instead of just showing up as that person we also behaved as if the world were doing exactly as we envisioned it was capable at its highest and best. Vibrating in that realm of better and better performance. How would that shift our energy? How would that shift how we feel each day? If the news and the world and the people that surround us reflected their best and most honest selves back at us? How would that look?

To me, the world would look like equity, anti-racism, and the general abundance of “isn’t this wonderful?” The feeling would be nurturing, whole, and loving. The energy that it espoused would be affirmation, justice, and confidence – and not just for me as an individual but for humans as a species. The conversations of today would be moot as instead of debating over do you or do you not believe X, the conversations would be about, how can we do what we do well already even better? Coming from a place of growth and the mutual understanding that we want what is best for ourselves and each other. The mutual and rich respect for our fellow human beings based on humanity, generosity of spirit, and love. 

My highest self is an orchestrator in that world. My highest self is a coach, one who empowers others, lifting as I rise, someone who motivates the youth of our world to find flaws that they may improve upon them. My highest self is an educator is someone invited to share wisdom and wonder. Someone who appreciates the great and small among us and leaves a legacy of community, the breadth of which the world has never seen before, but will again because of the gifts I have shared, the lessons we have learned together, and the generosity with which we shared them with each other and the world. 

This space is dedicated to that highest power, that highest, purest, and most beautiful vision for who we are and what we can be together. It is dedicated to that dream or utopia and those striving to reach it. May this space be one of safety, support, empathy, vulnerability, and love. May we co-create this vision and thrive in the beauty that is possible by living as if it were already here today.

Welcome and Namaste.