5 Things That Inspired Me This June
The category is: Healing
I turned 50 this month and also celebrated my 20th wedding anniversary. Both occasions called up deep gratitude for my life, my partnership, and new opportunities for growth and adventure. One of the ways that I’m showing appreciation for reaching this age is by capturing things that have moved and inspired me through each month in the coming year. While I more naturally focus attention on negative news and all that’s broken in the world, I’ve learned that the practice of noticing, savoring, paying attention to all that’s making my soul stir is an essential part of healing and growth.
Presenting my list for June; I’d love to hear about what inspired you in the month that’s gone by or what you’re looking forward to in the weeks ahead.
Book: The Turquoise Ledge, a Memoir by Leslie Marmon Silko. I’d been wanting to delve into this memoir since a writing teacher described it to me in February, but I waited until I had time to give it attention. Memoirs are my favorite genre of books and Leslie Marmon Silko’s is unique: the land that she lives on in Tucson and the wild creatures she encounters there — rattlesnakes, pack rats, roadrunners and owls — are all characters whom she explores with depth and understanding. I loved the window into her spirituality, mostly drawn from her Native American and Mexican heritage. She is a dog lover like me and her mastiffs also figure into the world she beautifully paints.
Podcast: Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris. I’ve listened to a lot of different meditation and mindfulness podcasts but this one is my favorite — not only because of host Dan Harris’ sharing about his own very human experiences with anxiety and meditation practice, but because of the brilliant guests he brings to the show. I listened several times to Anxiety, Explained, Strategies for Social Anxiety and Buddhist Lesson on Anxiety and took away practical tools and better understanding each time I listened.
Place: Carrboro, NC. I would love this small town in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area no matter what because it’s where my brother, sister-in-law and niece live and it was incredible to take our first road trip in over 15 months down from our home in the Philly area to see them. But it was especially inspiring to be there during Pride month and see local restaurants, churches and stores celebrating with flags and signs. My teenage daughter was excited to spend her money on a pin when we checked out at the Weaver Street Market that benefits local LGBTQ+ non-profits.
TV Show: Hacks. This show made me LAUGH. Jean Smart is so talented and funny. Plus she really inspires me because like me, she has been living with Type 1 diabetes since she was a child and looks like she is thriving. Living well with Type 1 takes enormous discipline and motivation, something that wavers in me at some point on most days. Even though I’ll never have a conversation with Jean Smart, I feel a connection to her and know that we share the experience of managing Type 1. But put that aside — check out the show if you haven’t because it’s great.
A flower: Hydrangeas. That’s all. They have been blooming all over my neighborhood this month, surrounding me while I walk my dog for several miles a day, and their color is so breathtaking. They make me happy.
Thank you for reading! Sign up for my enews here. In July, I’ll be sharing two opportunities to explore writing and spirituality in online workshops. I look forward to connecting.