Hello friends and family,
Every so often, life asks us to intentionally shift our rhythm. For me, this next 40 days is a season of rest—not checking out, but checking back in. A chance to restore, refill, and remember that caring for myself is also a way of caring for those I love.
I like the saying,
“We’re all special and none of us are special.”
I think I learned it in my study of the ‘Course in Miracles.’ To me, it perfectly captures that each individual matters, but never outside the context of the whole. Whether that whole is two people, a family, a community, or an entire species, I’ll simply call it family.
Family matters deeply to me—the unit and the individuals. I try to live with that balance at the center, constantly moving between nurturing myself and setting myself aside in service to others. It’s a tricky dance. So easy to drift into self-absorption or its opposite, self-abandonment.
Healthy interdependence takes a lot of intention. The key, I think, is learning to move gracefully along the spectrum between selfish and selfless, knowing each season asks something different of us.
At 48, I’m solidly in a season of service. I’ve spent 18 years mothering, and even before that, nurturing Sol Yoga—my first baby. I’ve been blessed with incredible stamina and rewarded with countless meaningful relationships.
But this past year, the beginnings of perimenopause have shown me the edges of that stamina. Years of caregiving have finally begun to leave physical markers, reminding me it’s time to replenish, not just give.
Fortunately, my son is now 18, and his younger siblings are stepping into greater independence. We’ve just celebrated an incredible month of milestones—my daughter Ivy turning 16, my son graduating high school and turning 18, and my youngest girls becoming teenagers. It’s been full in every sense.
Whew. Now it’s time to turn toward myself for a minute.
Starting Monday through about August 7, I’m committing to a 40-day summer yoga practice centered on restoration and refuge. While my physical presence in community will be scarce, I’m not disappearing or going silent. I just consciously choosing a different kind of discipline—one that prioritizes presence, spaciousness, and refilling my cup.
Perfect timing, too. My baby Paloma is having a wild summer of adventure - so I’ll join her a bit - she always reminds me how to have fun, be present, and truly live.
In addition to my ever present daily practice, I hope to write and photograph lots; two creative passions of mine. I’ll share periodically over the next 40 days and invite you to do the same if it resonates.
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” Anne Lamont
