It was a pretty chill weekend, no grand adventures on my
part except for trying to whittle down an ever expanding ‘to do’ list and resisting
the backache it gave me every time I tried to lift it up.
However, in Sadie’s eyes, it was a very good weekend,
because it included a trip to the dog park. Doggie nirvana. Smells galore, dogs
to run with and so, so many balls to chase.
It occurred to me as I watched her happily settle down to
rest after chasing 65 and a half balls, that the joyful look on her face, that
doggie smile, was probably exactly the same way she was feeling on the inside. Kind of a ‘what you see is what you get’
situation.
And that made me think about the faces I show. How often
does it truly reflect what I am feeling inside? I’m aware there is sometimes a
gap. Sometimes I am spot on, and that feels great. And then there are the times
I appear confident, calm and collected, and feel sad or scared or a hot mess on
the inside.
Just how big is that gap?
I see this in others too.
I’ve seen my grandkids minimize a consequence when with
careful inquiry, it actually made a deeper impact on them than they showed.
I’ve seen this with many friends, co-workers and neighbors.
Recently a dear friend trusted me enough to be vulnerable
and share how something I did made him feel. It caught me by surprise because I
had no idea it impacted him that way. I interpreted his response to a
conversation we had at face value, no big deal... when in fact, it was a pretty
big deal.
I’m so glad we were able to talk about it. It takes courage
to share how we really feel.
We don’t often know the struggles someone has or the deep wounds
they carry. Those signs might be invisible or easily glossed over.
We accept what we see because maybe we are really busy
conforming and contorting our own face we choose to show. We miss stuff that
way. Big stuff.
Veneers don’t often serve us, do they?
It opened my eyes more to thinking about who I really am and
considering just how big that gap is on the inside... that reflects to the
outside.
It’s an inner
challenge to shrink it. To be more in touch with the authentic me, the mostly
happy, go lucky woman who has ups and downs just like everyone else. When I present that authentic self...well,
magic happens.
I want to live my life from that place more often.
I bet I’m not alone.
What would it be like if we could connect on that level,
heart to heart? Knowing on this adventure called life, we have all sustained
bumps and bruises. Appreciating how priceless it is when you have special
people in your life that can walk with you through them, good, bad or
indifferent. No judging. Just accepting.
Sadie has no pretenses. I pretty much know all the time how
she is doing. And with a heart to heart connection. No words are needed. She’s
just being who she is. Looking for treats, chasing balls and curled up next to
me on a chilly fall night. Looking at me with concern if she senses something
is not quite right. Offering her presence and just being love and truth.
I want to be more like her.
Closing with a quote from my favorite sweatshirt...Live a
great story, friends. Until next time.
S & S
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