Thanks for the Wisdom
Happy November! It’s that time of year when we start thinking about what we are thankful for, and while I keep a gratitude journal all year long, I thought I’d share what I’ve been thinking about lately, since it has to do with you.
One of the things I am most grateful for is the interactions I get to have with wonderful people every day. There is a lot of wisdom that walks through the doors of our clinic, and every once in a while I even find a pearl of wisdom in my day-to-day life as well. I love to listen to and take in these messages, as they always seem to hit at just the right moment.
Here are a few from just this past month:
Don’t borrow trouble.
A patient shared this wisdom from his grandmother - worrying about what may/will/can/might happen is useless. So much of the time we put way too much energy into stressing about the future, and then the things we fear never even happen. Why not just be present now and let whatever happens happen later? Maybe the worst case scenario will happen, but if it does you can deal with it then and not add extra time to the pain.
Sometimes you fill your bucket and then it just gets kicked over.
This came out of a great conversation about ongoing self care. We were talking about how filling your bucket (doing self care) is something that needs to be done on a regular basis, so that if you have a little leak or need to ladle some out it is easy to refill. And then sometimes, someone comes along and just kicks your bucket over. However, if you are used to filling your bucket consistently, when this happens, refilling it doesn’t seem like such a big deal.
Every bite is different.
I was enjoying a delicious breakfast bowl with eggs, spinach, red peppers, tomato, quinoa, black beans, avocado and artichoke hearts, when I looked up at Matt and said “this is so amazing...every bite is different!” His reply: “How zen of you.” (with a smirk) But really, he’s right - if I experienced my whole life like I did that bowl, even the most mundane things would be delightful.
You don’t have to be perfect to heal.
This was one of those moments where I was receiving the message along with my patient. 💗
I think that too often we feel like we have to eat perfectly, or exercise perfectly or do whatever perfectly in order to heal or be healthy. But we don’t. Our bodies, minds and spirits are dynamic, changing forces that can take imperfection and still heal.
A watched moxa never burns.
Okay, this was just a joke someone made. But there’s wisdom in there too! Paying attention, but maybe not TOO close attention, is always a good idea.
This is just a short list of the recent messages I have been grateful for. Thank you to all who have graced my life with your presence - I greatly appreciate the gifts you bring to me. What wisdom do you carry with you? I’d love to hear!
