remember to check in

It was a long week, one sick kid (who is on the mend), the other had a sports injury. The mantra it could always be worse keeps popping up. Plain and simple, this is life. We had been running between appointments. School started, then holidays, and I'm trying to find touchstones of peace and grounding in between it all.

I was waiting for "injured kid" during what felt like a forever-lasting test, and I could feel all the tiredness and exhaustion settling in as I sat. In stillness, my body was catching up to the constant motion, and this body wanted rest. I embraced the quiet stillness, popped in my AirPods, and did a guided heart meditation from Jillian Pransky. I placed my hand soothingly over my heart. I was in the waiting room by the grace of "injured kid" being a minor, I was allowed to wait and was the only one there. I met myself as I was. I asked how I was doing?

The words from my heart that labeled how I felt were worried and exhausted. How would I treat someone I love knowing they were worried and exhausted? So I softened a little more and knew I wouldn't be that worried or exhausted forever. Then it happened. I could feel my grandmother with me and how she would fuss or make tea, offer cookies. What doesn't tea and cookies fix? There were no tea or cookies at this moment, but I did have the sweetness of comfort. I remembered how she would ALWAYS greet me and everyone with a smile and lightness and felt the weight lift a little more. When you lose a dear one and hear the words, they will forever be in your heart- in these moments. I know it's true.

Sometimes you need to stop treading and float to rest where you are. Stillness and rest are important. Connecting with the heart is important. This connected moment of body, heart, and mind was the gift of practice, checking in with myself and finding comfort within.