Top Ten Favorite Books (or 11)

Eight months ago, after my camera stopped functioning in Spain, I asked my roommate for the writing workshop portion of my trip to take two photos for me.  One was a picture of the two of us, where we stayed, with a beautiful landscape in the background.  The second was at an immaculate garden.  She offered to take more photos for me, but I said, "No that is all I need."

Six months later I had not received the photos.  In December I wrote her a snail mail letter, and concluded it with a reminder to, when she had the chance, send them to me.  I was not in a hurry to receive the photos, I trusted I would get them eventually, but I did still want them.

On Tuesday I was feeling really stressed and considering emailing her (she is a somatic therapist) because the issue I was stressed about was something we discussed in Spain, but I decided not to.  And then, guess what? As I was resisting this impulse, photos starting pouring into my inbox.  What are the chances of that?  The photos arrived the day I most needed them, and not only did she send me the two photos I wanted, she included ones I didn't know she took, including what is now my favorite photo from my trip.

I can't say for certain why I like this photo so much, but maybe it's that I like the person I see when she doesn't know that anybody is watching.  She is off on her own, taking in her surroundings, listening.  But I can also imagine her turning around and smiling at the person with the camera.  She has stepped away from the group, but she is still part of the group.  She is apart, but open, alone, but not lonely.  She is connected.

That same woman chose as her word of the year for 2019 - THRIVE.  Sometimes I wonder what it feels like or looks like to thrive.  I think I might just see thrive in this photo.

I felt that energy a bit this week as I worked on a job application for a small local publisher.  I wasn't sure about applying at first, but as part of the application they ask you to include a list of your 10 favorite books.  I got so much energy just from compiling that list in itself.   A few books I instantly knew would be on the list - like The Prophet - others I had to think about, or in some cases almost forgot.  I almost forgot The Phantom Tollbooth until someone I loved reminded me of it!

Well, it took some time but here is my list.  And I just realized while typing this I forgot one of my all time favorite books on my list and I sent it in this morning.  My God this book should be on there!!  Ahh.  A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life Purpose  by Eckhart Tolle.  That should easily be in my top five.  Huh.  Oh well.

List of Tammy's  Ten Favorite Books

1.      The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

2.      The Giver by Lois Lowry

3.      A Year with Rumi: Daily Readings by Coleman Barks

4.      El mejor lugar del mundo es aqui mismo by Francesc Miralles and Care Santos

5.      The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

6.      A Year with Rilke: Daily Readings from the Best of Rainer Maria Rilke by Anita Barrow and Joanna Macy

7.      Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle

8.      Manual del guerrero de la luz by Paulo Coelho

9.      Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

10.  Gone to Soldiers by Marge Piercy

 

Addendum

I wrote Wednesdays gratitudes before my evening activities so I wouldn't be on the computer when I got home.  I "thought" of those gratitudes, but I wasn't feeling grateful when I wrote them.  Once I started skiing I felt more discouraged by how tired I felt than grateful to be out there.  At the last hill, 1/3 of the way up and feeling completely out of shape, I pulled to the side to rest while 7 or so young adults from the high school ski team passed by.  They were skiing fairly leisurely and one young man turned to me, and with pure sincerity and openness said, 

"Isn't it a beautiful day for skiing?"

Here was this high schooler, surrounded by his friends, extending a hand to a stranger resting on the side of a hill.

"Yes it is," I replied, and a piece of my soul thawed and my whole day opened.  I could now take in the snow covered beauty, instead of focusing on my lack of cardio fitness.  Here was this 17 year old turning to a stranger and connecting me, not only to him, but to myself and to my world.

That comment shifted my entire day.

Since I Saw You

I'm grateful that I have the flexibility to stop work a bit earlier than I'd planned.  The list of errands/activities I wanted to get done tonight was feeling stressful, even though I knew the activities were things I enjoy.

This will include, for the first time this year, cross-country skiing at the nearby park.  With yesterday's snowfall there is finally both snow and skiable Tammy temperatures (21 F, -6 C).  When I went outside to shovel the end of the driveway after the snowplow came by, it already started to calm me down. 

Part of the stress was starting the day with someone I love in distress.  Some days I handle this better than others.  Today I was able to speak to someone new in their health care team firsthand.   I felt like I was doing something, regardless of whether I actually was and she said she'd look into the things I mentioned.  It was good to least establish that connection and advocate. 

I am going to try and drop off an extra pair of skis that have sat in the garage the last few years at Play it Again Sports.  I'm not even sure they'll take them.  They are the old 3 pin type, which I couldn't find boots for anymore.   They aren't doing anyone any good sitting in the garage and the store is right next to another errand for tonight.  It is draining to regularly look at things you know you should get rid of.

I have my monthly poetry group at the library tonight and I have a couple things I look forward to reading including a poem I wrote Sunday called, "Since I saw you..."

Finally, last year around this time my partner brought me to a Trevor Hall show, someone I was completely unfamiliar with by thoroughly enjoyed.  He is coming back to town next month.

Yummi Lunch, Library, Dancing Principal

• Surprisingly yummi lunch - carrots and cauliflower dipped in homemade hummus (not made by me), a salad of greens, peppers, tomato, mushroom, baked tofu and a simple dressing, a little Cheddar popcorn (from the store) and a clementine.

• School has been cancelled the last couple days because of a snowstorm and then extreme cold.  When my partner's kids walked in the house I suspected they might be cranky after being home/around each other so much the past few days but they were both happy.  The oldest said her sister was helping her go thru her clothes.  I told them I was working in my new temporary office in the basement and the youngest asked if she could help.  (She thought I was doing some work cleaning or straightening the basement I guess and was ready to jump in).
• I just finished a book about the Dalai Lama and it mentioned a photographer that has photographed him for years. I went to my library website to request his book but they didn't have it.  I decided to suggest they buy it and while doing this I realized that there was a record in the system of the three previous suggestions I'd made.  There was a note that the title would be ordered, for all 3!
• I looked and they are all in the system, one I already read, one I just requested, and the third I originally suggested because, "This book is 10 years old but still has 24 people waiting for 3 copies of it and it has been this way for over a year! The library could use more copies."  I checked and now there are 10 people waiting for 9 copies.

• A video of a principal of an elementary school in China leading hundreds of students in a shuffle dance...  This makes me smile again and again.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs55sl7D8Na/

Pieces Here and There

Two friends who were hesitant about spending a night in a camper cabin in the middle of January, (because you have to go outside to a separate building for water and the bathroom) did just fine.  It was because of this in fact, that all three of us saw the 'blood moon' - a total lunar eclipse- last night. 

This morning we sat around reading, while the wind rocked the pine trees out the window.  I had the urge to do a 10 minute meditation and found it perplexing that I felt self-conscious at the thought.  I knew neither of these friends would be judgemental, and yet it was out of the norm for me to sit in a room with friends and meditate while they did something else.  I did eventually do so, and of course it was perfectly fine.

My friend was able to figure out how to lock the camper cabin from the outside so we could leave the key in the drop box, something I'd been unable to do myself when I tried previously.

I was dropped off at my partner's house, and I planned to bus home from there.  But I didn't really feel like it.  I have enough clothes packed and my computer over here to work, so I decided to just stay.  I think my partner is pleased by this, though he has not yet found the right words he says, to express how he's feeling.

Also my sister-in-law teaches a zumba class once a week which I've wanted to check out for the past few months.  So maybe I'll use the excuse that I'm over here and need an exercise option to finally go.

Unmet Need

My partner and I have been discussing some painful patterns and today we had, what seems to me, a bit of an epiphany.  We both are aware of John Gottman's the Four Horsemen - Contempt, Criticism, Defensiveness and Stonewalling - and try to catch them, ideally in ourselves, but also in each other.  Today we realized that sometimes I let criticism go. If we are in a hurry, or my partner is stressed or under pressure and says a small criticism to me, I might just ignore it.  Or in some instances I don't want to get into an argument or defend myself, so I'll just let it go.  I'm not sure if this is Thich Nhat Hanh, but I recall him saying, "Let it go, and if you can't let it go, then you have to communicate about it."

So I assumed that if I could let the criticism go and wasn't hanging onto any hurt, we could move on.  Or we could just discuss it later when we were both in a better place.  I thought by letting the hurt go if it was small enough that it didn't stick with me, that I was helping our relationship.

What I didn't realize or connect, was how that criticism is a cover for hurt.  And that hurt doesn't just go away if it doesn't get acknowledged.   If I don't address that initial criticism, allow it to be seen and validated, then sometimes it grows into something that CAN NOT be ignored.

And often once it can't be ignored, it now has so much energy behind it that I am unable to listen.  I become defensive and seemingly don't care about the hurt.  (And in a way I don't because at that point I'm often hurt too.)

By avoiding hearing the small criticism, I am setting myself to have to hear a bigger one later.

This is so obvious that I feel both ridiculous and grateful for the discovery.  I know a teacher with good classroom management doesn't let the small things go.  I know a parent that is teaching a child to be respectful doesn't let small disrespects go.  So why do I think I am doing anyone a favor by ignoring my partner when he says something critical to me?  When I point out criticism to him, he usually is quick to be reflective.  It's my part that is missing here and not letting criticisms go unnoticed just because a situation is rushed or stressful is a change I look forward to implementing - in all aspects of my life.

“Every criticism, judgment, diagnosis, and expression of anger 

is the tragic expression of an unmet need.” 

 Marshall Rosenberg

Little Ones Love

I spent lots of time with children I love today.  It began with waking up next to my niece and bringing her to Japanese school.  Then I stayed in Japanese school with my 3 year old nephew for his first hour.  I learned that he loves to play and decorate with scotch tape.  Forget stickers or crayons, he just wants to keep pulling, more and more tape.  When we finished that activity we used the cardboard paddle he was supposed to be decorating to hit a balloon I'd toss in the air.  He was captivated, focused and confident.  It was really fun to get a glimpse into this part of their world.

Later I brought my partner's two daughters to a personal shopping appointment at the thrift store as their Christmas present.  I've wanted to try this myself for a number of years but always give up because the appointments are all taken.  When the personal shopper opened the fitting room filled with clothing in the sizes and preferences that we'd sent her, it was really quite beautiful.  Both children said they'd never had that much success before at a thrift store.  The 10 year old dutifully folded up the clothing she had selected and had already added it up to the dollar amount allotted her.  She actually even had a little to spare which she generously offered her sister.  The 13 year old was a bit over her dollar amount so had to pare down a bit or chip in herself.  She did both, including deciding that a $10 sweater was too much.