This week was my oldest daughter’s 16th Birthday and my youngest daughter’s middle school graduation. In the microcosm of our little family, there was so much joy and happiness as we celebrated these big life milestones. Yet, when I would look at my phone and see the news, my heart would sink, much like everyone else’s hearts because there is so much hurt, distrust and lack of respect perpetrating our world.
I found myself feeling an emotional discord I’ve never quite experienced before.
I felt a little guilty for feeling my immense joy until I realized that the polarity of our emotions is what ultimately helps us survive. Our joy helps us to endure the pain we are experiencing. It helps us to know that there will be a moment where everything will be OK and this pain will, somehow, bless us even though we might not be able to see how quite yet.
The pain we experience helps us to appreciate our joyful moments with more gratitude and humility.
As Thich Nhat Hanh has taught, “No mud, no lotus.”
This in no way takes away from the hurt we are all experiencing right now.
We wouldn’t want it to.
We need the mud. We need to push through and grow through the icky, dark, swampy mud. Once we do, our beauty is revealed.
We have great appreciation for the strength, resilience and power of the lotus to push through and continue to grace the world with her beauty, all while being surrounded in mud.
Allow your beauty, power and resilience to blossom in your mud right now too.
Today’s Meditation, It’s OK to feel upset and happy right now, gives you permission to feel your full range of emotion and guides you on an incredible meditation to help you incorporate those sets of feelings in order to heal and experience emotional equilibrium.
I wish you great joy to soften your burden today.
