I saw this while walking the streets of my neighborhood on a day that I wasn’t particularly doing too great at being “like water.” It was a 90 degree day and I couldn’t take Darya out for too long without her getting fussy, so we were cooped up in our apartment with house chores left undone and a teething 11 month old. It was one of those days that went by reallyyyyy slowly and I felt guilty about it wanting it to end and not being present.

Then I went for a walk when my husband came home (early, because I needed him too) and came across this. I took it as universe’s way of telling me to surrender to myself and to the imperfections of the day. I took it as a sign that its OKAY. That even those imperfect days, accepting them still means you’re being water. It’s the resisting it, the feeling guilty, and the wanting yourself to be perfect that hurts you even more than the struggles of the actual day.

So, dear imperfections,

I accept you when you come. Even when I don’t do a perfect job at accepting, I will accept that, too.  I believe that even you serve teachers and lessons teaching me to let go of my own need to be anything other than what I am in any particular moment.

My inspiration is a poem by my favorite poet, Rumi. It’s titled “Guest House”:

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

— Jellaludin Rumi

x,

L

In light of the recent tragic events in Nice, I’m making a pledge and a conscious decision to only pay attention to what is good. I am someone who is very impacted by world events. I think about them not just days after, but weeks, and even months later. I’ll think of the victims, their families, and I’ll wonder how they’re doing. I send my love and prayers toward them, and hope God keeps them strong. This recent event will be no different. My heart is with France, it has been, and will continue to be just as it is in Istanbul, Bangladesh, Orlando, Belgium,  and all of of the places that have been touched by evil.

But now, more than praying and sending light, I am going to BE the light. BE the love that we so desperately want to see more of in this world. I am going to choose to hang on to the things that bring me light and joy. I will allow [those] things, not the scary ones, to serve as my compass. Then I’m going to do my best to go out in the world and plant seeds from that joy. I’ll make the choice to live from a space of Love, and to not allow the world to replace my Love with Fear. Because it’s my choice, and yours, to still view this life as beautiful even when it can be very ugly. We owe it to our children to keep Love alive. To not give in to hatred with more hatred, or anger with more anger, or fear with more fear. We have to do the internal work first and start and end with love. Because anything less than that, will give evil the satisfaction it so desperately craves. Anything less than that will mean they’ve won. And they wont win. Not in my heart. Not in my soul.

#prayforpeace #bethepeace #spreadlove #belove

All my light and love to all lost souls & their grieving families.

-L

Nobody can relate to perfection because it simply does not exist.

The truth about motherhood seldom portrayed on social media is that the house doesn’t always look perfect, the laundry isn’t always finished, and we don’t always have fresh flowers in the house although we try to. Sometimes the house becomes a mess, heck, sometimes YOU’RE a mess. A beautiful motherly kind of mess, though. And you learn to love this new version of yourself.

This picture shows Darya crawling away from me, and one (not mine) sitting next to me. It was taken after a full day out and about with the bebe and my friend, Malissa, and her baby, who were visiting from California. Initially the day started out very adventurous. We had grand plans for ourselves, but as you all know, making plans with babies is hilarious. In fact, you know how the saying goes” Life is when you make plans, and God laughs?”, well my new version of this is “Life is when you make plans, and babies laugh.” Like, honestly, you may do half of the things you intended to do for the day. More than likely, not even half, but some or even just one or two items off your to do list will be successfully checked off. But you know what? We laughed a lot that day.

Even though our big grand plans didn’t end up happening, we had a great day. We took it as it came our way. We basked in the moment with the babies and with each other. There was no resistance. Not. One. Bit.

Cheers,

L