All Things Bright and Beautiful

Feels good to stand for something I believe in!

Today didn't start off that awesome, but it just kept getting better. It started turning around when I went for a run with a friend -- and the sun even came out for a bit of our run.

But mostly, I just really enjoyed spending time with my kids today. They helped me make this photo to post to Facebook for giving Tuesday, willingly helped out with housework and pet care, were engaging at dinner without me having to pry, and created an obstacle course for our after dinner entertainment!

I am so grateful for this time with my kids, especially now that I can feel that in not too long a time, they will go off to college.

So today's song about appreciating life is one from my childhood. It's religious, which my upbringing sorta was and sorta wasn't (Mom=Episcopalian, Dad=Atheist):

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful:
the Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
God made their glowing colors,
and made their tiny wings.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful:
the Lord God made them all.

The purple-headed mountains,
the river running by,
the sunset and the morning
that brightens up the sky.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful:
the Lord God made them all.

The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden:
God made them every one.

All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful:
the Lord God made them all.

I'm indeed grateful for all things bright and beautiful, but most of all, I'm grateful for the two magical creatures I made myself (with a little help from their father, of course)!

Stand By You

Driving to practice this morning, I heard this song:

Hands, put your empty hands in mine
And scars, show me all the scars you hide
And hey, if your wings are broken
Please take mine so yours can open too
Cause I'm gonna stand by you
Oh, tears make kaleidoscopes in your eyes
And hurt, I know you're hurting, but so am I
And love, if your wings are broken
Borrow mine 'til yours can open too
Cause I'm gonna stand by you

And I especially loved the lines: if your wings are broken, borrow mine 'til yours can open too. I've seen, particularly through my work with Breathe for Change, that this is how it works. When we were debriefing on Friday, both the founder and I were in tears recalling how it was the support we lent each other back and forth that allowed us both to keep going and keep manifesting this dream which is the work we are now doing in schools.

There's still a part of me that isn't sure about this kind of love, the kind that feels like it really won't go away, the way so much of the love I've been offered and have received has done in my lifetime. But every day that I'm in this world of being seen and heard and supported, and I get to offer the same, I move a little bit closer to feeling like I can trust it:

Even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through
Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you
Love, you're not alone, cause I'm gonna stand by you
Even if we can't find heaven, I'm gonna stand by you
Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through Hell with you
Love, you're not alone, cause I'm gonna stand by you

Yeah, you're all I never knew I needed
And the heart, sometimes it's unclear why it's beating
And love, if your wings are broken
We can brave through those emotions too
Cause I'm gonna stand by you
Oh, truth, I guess truth is what you believe in
And faith, I think faith is having a reason
Nah, nah, nah, love, if your wings are broken
Borrow mine 'til yours can open too
Cause I'm gonna stand by you

Talk

Nonviolent Communication works its magic at B4C workshop

This morning I had the honor of helping facilitate the first ever Breathe for Change two hour workshop on Transformation of the Self at a small, local high school.

It was magical, in no small part thanks to the work of Marshall Rosenberg's Center for Nonviolent communication.

What a powerful process! You can visit this website to access all of the resources, but basically the process has four parts:

1) State an observation about something that happened or something someone did or said that affected your life in some way. Do not include judgement about this or how you feel about it.

2) Use the feelings inventory to state how the thing that happened or that was said made you feel, using at least three words from the list.

3) Use the needs inventory to say that you had the feelings you just mentioned based on your need(s) for at least three needs from the needs inventory.

4) Make a specific request that would enrich your life, preferably one that can be answered yes or no.

I practiced this today, along with the other participants, and relearned how powerful it is and how straightforward it can make communicating even about difficult topics.

Today's song, brought to you by Coldplay, is all about the importance of communication:

Oh brother, I can't, I can't get through
I've been trying hard to reach you 'cause I don' know what to do
Oh brother, I can't believe it's true
I'm so scared about the future, and I wanna talk to you
Oh, I wanna talk to you

You can take a picture of something you see
In the future where will I be?
You can climb a ladder up to the sun
Or a write a song nobody has sung
Or do something that's never been done

Are you lost or incomplete?
Do you feel like a puzzle, you can't find your missing piece?
Tell me, how do you feel?
Well, I feel like they're talking in a language I don't speak
And they're talking it to me

So you take a picture of something you see
In the future where will I be?
You can climb a ladder up to the sun
Or write a song nobody has sung
Or do something that's never been done
Or do something that's never been done

So you don't know where you're going and you wanna talk
And you feel like you're going where you've been before
You tell anyone who'll listen, but you feel ignored
Nothing's really making any sense at all, let's talk
Let's talk, let's talk, let's talk

Yes, let's!

Earn Enough For Us

I heard this song on the radio today:

I've been praying all the week through
At home, at work and on the bus
I've been praying I can keep you
And to earn enough for us

I can take humiliation
And hurtful comments from the boss
I'm just praying by the weekend
I can earn enough for us

And it feels perfect for marking this day in so many ways:

1) When I asked my daughter if could pay her for mowing the lawn, she said: "I don't need money, Mom, you need money." Ouch.

2) Breathe for Change moved into our new office on the Square today -- and it is so awesome having space to work together downtown!

3) And last and least, I've recently become aware that my basement needs all kinds of work done to deal with the mice and other issues that make it so I don't have any desire to go down there:

Found a house that won't repair itself
With it's windows cracking
And a roof held together with holes
Just because we're on the bottom of the ladder
We shouldn't be sadder
Than others like us
Who have goals for the betterment of life
Glad that you want to be my wife, but honest
I've been praying all the week through
At home at work and on the bus
I've been praying I can keep you
And to earn enough for us

So you're saying that we're going to be three
Now, a father's what I'll be
Don't get me wrong, I'm so proud
But the belt's already tight
I'll get another job at night, but honest

I can take humiliation
And hurtful comments from the boss
I'm just praying by the weekend
I can earn enough for us
Just because we're at the bottom of the ladder
We shouldn't be sadder
Than others like us
Who have goals for the betterment of life
Glad that you want to be my wife, but honest

I can take humiliation
And hurtful comments from the boss
I'm just praying by the weekend
I can earn enough for us
I can earn enough for us

Yes I can. I wasn't really, this Spring and Summer, but all that's changing now and I'm so glad!

We've Only Just Begun

Three of the major forces behind Breathe for Change

About five years ago, I wanted to launch a non-profit to bring yoga to teachers in schools. I started by teaching yoga once a week to teachers after school, but then life at the time took over and I wound up getting a full time job at the Capitol.

Fast forward five years: the dream is happening!

Today the three babes pictured above launched our program at Madison's largest elementary school and it was so well received!

It just feels awesome to be walking into schools with the intention to love and support teachers, administrators, students and communities, and like the Carpenters sing, we've only just begun:

We've only just begun to live,
White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we're on our way.
We've just begun.

Before the rising sun we fly,
So many roads to choose
We start out walking and learn to run.
And yes, We've just begun.

Sharing horizons that are new to us,
Watching the signs along the way,
Talking it over just the two of us,
Working together day to day
Together.

And when the evening comes we smile,
So much of life ahead
We'll find a place where there's room to grow,
And yes, We've just begun.

We have found a place where there's room to grow, and it's called Breathe for Change!