Similar Posts

  • | | |

    A Conversation (and Maitri)

    ByElizabeth

    This morning, after my morning beach walk, as usual, one of the men at the storefront for an adventure business that’s on the corner before the house I’m staying at called out his usual “hey beautiful lady” thing. I responded to him in Spanish, and we ended up talking for a while.

    He asked about my Spanish, as most visitors here (even those who’ve bought condos) don’t seem to have much of the language. I said I’d started studying last year; I was spurred by the current political climate to become competent in Spanish to open opportunities for me to be of service.

    In response, he told me that he’d lived in California for over 25 years; his three children were born in the United States. They are still in the US, but he, last year, was sent back to Mexico pursuant to the present administration’s policies.

    Later in the day, when I was walking out with my yoga teacher and friends, he greeted us with friendliness, not just the typical marketing greeting.

    When I get more capable, I hope to find a way to be of greater service, but expanding the opportunities for friendliness seems a decent start.

    Below is a picture of what I’m pretty sure is a curlew (birding experts, please comment and advise) eating an immature crab that I watched in the morning.

  • |

    Happy Thanksgiving?

    ByElizabeth

    Last night as I waited on the metro platform at Takoma Park after yoga class, a large man in a shabby black coat came up to me and said, “happy thanksgiving.”

    “Happy thanksgiving,” I replied, thinking I like Thanksgiving better than I like Valentine’s Day, even considering the somewhat unsavory roots of both holidays.

    “Oops,” he said, “I meant ‘happy Valentine’s Day; I’ve been getting that wrong all day.”

    “That’s OK,” I said.  “Every day should be a day of thanks giving.”  I had been enjoying the day fully even though I had not engaged in any Hallmark-driven behavior and was feeling fully grateful for my life and not just because of the post-yoga class glow.

    “I don’t have anyone to give red roses to any more,” the man lamented.  “My mother has passed; my grandma has passed.  I don’t have a girl right now.”

    “Your mother and grandma are still here in your heart, and they know you love them.  They do not need roses,”  I offered.  “In fact, you have helped the world be a better place not buying any roses today.  Most bouquets of roses are laden with pesticides and cut and wrapped by women in poor countries who get sick from the pesticides.”  At this, a young woman watching me with commiseration lit up with a big smile.  Who would start giving advice on the hazards of Valentine’s Day flowers — I restrained myself from talking fair trade chocolate — in this situation?

    “You’re nice,” the man said, “what’s your name?”  The metro was still not due for another eight minutes, and, being the introverted, cautious, small, middle-aged woman that I am and thus feeling a little pressured by his longing for someone to talk to, I did the verbal dance to extricate myself from the conversation and get back to the email I had been in the middle of reading.  He went away peaceably, so it was alright.

  • | |

    A Worthy Experiment

    ByElizabeth

    The practices hosted by Woven History were a delightful opportunity to practice in community, come together to share with those in need (World Central Kitchen), and enjoy techniques and refuge in these trying times.  Though the practices themselves were great, it turns out, not to anyone’s surprise, that it was not ideal for the shop to have the space occupied for a non-business reason that regularly, unless it was okay to cancel at the last minute on a not infrequent basis.

    I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to practice in such a vibrant an interesting space and enjoying meeting new and reconnecting with old fellow practitioners.  I was also reminded of my favorite way to practice in a group, which is to have everyone say what they are there for and needing that day, whether physical or emotional, and then offer something(s) intended to be nourishing for all present.

    We’re talking about whether perhaps a once a month practice at Woven History might still work, and I will keep myself open to discovering other alternative, local spaces.

    I’m also considering offering a weekly house practice (ideally 3-4 people any given practice), as we did before the pandemic.  Please comment or email me if you might be interested and what days/times might be best for you.  I’m thinking about mid-morning either Monday or Wednesday.  It would require advance RSVP because it is in my home.  I don’t know about you, but I need more time giving myself the rest and strength I need to participate working for positive change and less time drowning in the ranting of people whose minds I cannot change.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.