You’re not alone

A new mom was recently telling me about her first mommy and me class and the simple but powerful realization that she was not alone.  Gathered in a circle, she felt proud of all the babies, not just her own; she felt a sense of community and the dropping away of the dark patch that had gripped her along the way in the early weeks of sleep-deprived, hard to soothe howling and the on-the-ground reality that bonding is not instant.

Coming into the sun of emerging confidence, the realization that the rough stuff was part of the bonding ritual, she felt like she was getting the hang of things.  She also felt like it was great to know that in those mournful and vexing days spent crying in front of the TV while nursing, she had not been alone—was far from the only mother adjusting to a life inexorably changed.

And so, today, a simple post:  whether you are dealing with a child just weeks old, months old, elementary or tween—fussy teenager or would-be launchers readying to visit colleges… or even grown children, themselves dipping back into crisis or struggling with money, health or relationships, you are not alone.  

If you are a parent feeling overwhelmed, consider that a spirit of understanding subtly flows to you, not in my words alone, but in the hearts of readers who care about you, and your kid(s), sight unseen.  

It has been said that a lie requires a liar while the truth just is.  I make no claim to knowing what truth may be, but if you ask yourself, “do I really want the best for not just my own child or children, but for all children?” and find that the answer happens to be “yes,” then it is highly possible that many of your fellow inter-beings also might very well feel this way about you.

In our dark patches we feel alone, maybe scared, hurt, angry and confused.  Yet, it is possible that we are not alone, merely unaware of the subtle linkages that transcend our current perceptions.  In this spirit, perhaps we might dedicate today to opening our hearts, softening our very centers to more consciously receive the subtle reassurances that the world is communicating with us all the time, mystically and synchronistically.  

Trust that the love you send out does make a difference, and that the love you need is there for you—a smart and exacting love that knows better than any of our conscious minds, love like a dream that challenges us to embrace our unique situation of the moment and ask, “how can I learn and grow from this?” A question asked softly, dropped into like shivassana, or “corpse pose” at the end of a yoga practice, allowing what we receive in our heart-minds and our gut-minds to be absorbed and to nourish us deeply—in the service of all our collective children.

Namaste, Bruce