What Matters…

What defines a good life? I imagine each of us would come up with a unique definition, while including some common themes.

Love, laughter, community, and knowing you’ve made a difference in someone’s life might make many lists.

Thinking about my yo-yo emotions this holiday season, being true to oneself is now part of my definition. It means honoring that I’m sometimes giddy with joy knowing I’ll be visiting my sister and her family for Christmas and then deeply saddened by the horror of the tornadoes, the senseless murders reported in the nightly news, and the twists and turns of the pandemic.

Yesterday I decided to surrender and trust how I was feeling in the moment. No worrying that I would sink in despair or dance in denial — just feeling. What a gift! I felt the easing of tension immediately since I was no longer fighting with myself.

Are you feeling this swing of emotions now too? Perhaps the best way to honor those lost or suffering and the gifts of this season of light is to be good to ourselves and welcome in what we’re feeling —just as we would welcome in beloved family and friends and the Holy One.

May you commit to living a good life and may it include honoring and accepting how you feel in any given moment.

Trust Yourself