Reading, writing and yoga are my things. Ever since I could read independently, I have been attracted to literature that challenges me and allows me to experience cultures different than mine and to travel to far away lands in my mind. Non-fiction is also a big passion of mine, especially science, history, health and spiritual topics. For over 40 years I have kept a journal, but I never saw myself as a writer until I started taking classes from Valley Haggard and Cindy Cunningham at Life in 10 Minutes. Some of what I will share in this blog is what I share with students in those classes. Some is just my personal practice. If any of it is helpful to you, then please use it!

Introduction to me and the purpose of this blog

As a life long educator and learner, I have a growth mindset. Over the years, I have developed my own personal mindfulness, yoga and meditation practice that has helped me to navigate stormy times I have faced, especially as the mother of an addict. I am hoping some of the ideas I share here will be useful to others on a similar journey.

In my professional life, I have been a high school teacher and librarian for over 30 years. For most of those years, I have been a parent and have juggled career, kids, marriage, divorce, single parenting, remarriage and a myriad of family health issues. Like all people, my life has been filled with great challenges and great joys. This blog will chronical some of the tools and techniques I have learned to stay sane and mostly positive.

Throughout my life, I have been a lover of nature, reading and writing. I find solace and escape in reading about exotic places, lifestyles and animals. I am happiest when I get to walk on the beach or wander on a path near a river or stream, noticing the birds and plants as I go. My experiences as a camper and counselor at a summer camp in Maryland fed my soul in a profound way and led me to become a Quaker. There, in the woods I first learned to find God in the silence. As a 12 year old camper, I was taught to meditate by observing the natural world at the fire circle. What an amazing tool that has been!

In high school I became a runner and learned that physical exercise both tired me out and calmed my nerves. For many years my cross country runs were a staple self care tool, until my feet began to hold me back. As an adult, I switched to walking multiple times per week as part of my stress management arsenal (and thankfully more supportive shoes became the norm). To this day my preference remains exercising outside where I can watch the seasons change and let go of the days’ concerns. Later, after I had children, continued to teach full time, and my first marriage became extremely challenging, I started to practice yoga. Yoga classes at my gym were an excellent way to stretch and move that nourished my body and mind. More recently, I became curious about mindfulness and took read numerous books and took formal classes about mindfulness, meditation and methods to calm the central nervous system. All of these are tools are a vital part of my on going self care.

I have loved all that I have learned about Mindfulness and am excited to share with others. For 10 years I have taught drop in mindfulness classes to students at the high school where I am a librarian. I am fortunate that my principal has both supported and encouraged my endeavors. In 2022 I completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training and have started to incorporate yoga asana into my weekly Mindful Monday lessons. Perhaps one day I will teach Mindfulness or yoga professionally?

Why keep this blog?

It is giving me a creative outlet to organize my thoughts about mindfulness.
I am hoping it will give me clarity about tools and techniques I can share with my students and other folks who are also on a journey to a happier, more centered life.
My short term goal is to share tips and techniques for people who want to develop their own mindfulness practice.
Later, that want to explore the possibility of teaching yoga and mindfulness to adults and other people outside of my school,

Who knew? 8/25/24

I have been writing a blog about mindfulness since July of 2022, but I didn’t realize it served as more than a personal amusement. Yes, I do publish it where others can find it on social media or through a google search. Yes, family and friends have sometimes commented on what I wrote. Yes, I have about 50 subscribers, but for the most part, I have been writing for myself as I experiment with tools that center me. For the first year I kept the blog, I posted several times a month, often, updates were weekly. I am not a great self-promoter. However, my son Andrew’s girlfriend, Anna, has a blog too, and she encouraged me to post mine publicly. I cringe each time I hit post on social media, feeling certain some folks will find my words about gardening, yoga or meditation trite.

Then in July of 2023 my eldest son, Alex, died of an accidental fentanyl overdose and the posts stopped for months at a time as I tried to pull myself back together and process my intense grief. All the while I was doing many of the techniques I wrote about – journaling, meditating, and yoga each morning with tears streaming down my face, practicing various pranayama techniques when deep sobs took my breath away and it felt like my heart was physically constricted into a knot, and attempting to remember to eat nutritious foods, go to support groups and get in a walk now and again. Survival mode is how I lived for at least the first 6 months after Alex died. Then slowly, I was able to add an occasional fun activity I used to enjoy with friends or on my own. I am exceptionally blessed to have a handful of great friends who never gave up on me, with all the “no’s” to social invitations and to have a boss who gave me the grace needed to leave for estate appointments, counseling and occasional mental health breaks throughout the year.

Recently, I wrote a new blog post after several month hiatus. I did not share the post on social media because it was truly just for practice and to dip my toes back in after such a long break. My subscribers got it and as has been the case, a few family members liked or commented on my post. The next day I was surprised when a woman I know, but have only kept up with through Facebook for the past 5 or more years, reached out to ask if we could talk. In her email she told me that she has been following my blog and was glad to see that I was writing once more. When we talked on the phone, I learned that she has a son who struggles with many of the same issues as Alex and that my blog has been reassuring and helpful to her. She has even started journaling and has tried to incorporate many of the suggestions and tips I have posted. I was blown away! Who knew that anyone was reading my words let alone trying to follow my example? Guess, I will keep writing and hopefully more regularly now that that deep fog of grief is less intense.