Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I'm attempting to get back to a normal routine after the flurry of the holiday, and I've missed not logging in daily to help me center my mind.  I was a sea in a world of groceries and cooking and wrapping and texting and post offices and packages and thank yous and calls.  We had a lovely quiet dinner Christmas eve with our youngest, her husband and new baby, and feasted on pot roast and root vegetables and baked Alaska (from an ice cream shop) for dessert.  Yesterday they were present again as well as our oldest, his wife, their one year old son and our daughter-in-law's mother.  Lots of rocking of babies and keeping stuff away from the toddler, and playing and eating two big meals.  I pulled off the meals well, and everyone enjoyed themselves.  Gratitude was resplendent.  The young ones made us super aware of the birth of the baby long ago.  And the joy of the toddler towards wrapping paper and ribbon, and his gifts made our day.
I think everyone was extra careful with their speech.  Disagreements were let go instantly, and all were striving for amiability and succeeded.  Everyone was gone by six thirty.  My husband washed the dishes and I dried them, then I read in bed until a reasonable time, after having a long, hot soak in the bath.  Ah, bless the families!

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

We're receiving a lot of rain and it feels like a blessing.  Up north my family and friends are experiencing snow.  My granddaughter has email now and she sent me a picture of the snow.  It's wonderful to be in contact with her this way.  It's fun and light and she is the emoji princess, so proud of herself.  She never was one for hanging onto a phone and talking.  Her mother tried speakerphone, but my granddaughter would twirl around out of range anyway, and was usually busy hopping on the sofa or trying to show me something over the phone.  Now we can do face time, but still, she's usually not keen on it, so the email is a joy for me.  The thought is mother to the word:  I know she's thinking of me when she writes.  It's a blessing.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I had tea this afternoon with a friend and we "caught up".  It was raining out and she had a gas fire in the fireplace and the dog was on her cushion before it.  We sat on the sofa together and I relayed the drama of my grandson's birth and she her plans for the holidays and we talked of lemon trees and growing orchids and really, just connecting again after a few weeks not seeing each other.  I love this catching up thing.  I love witnessing and being witnessed.  I love the rain after a long drought.  And that is what friendship feels like to me - rain that refreshes and nourishes.  I'm moisturized!

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

My friend and I took a walk and she was describing to me her recent five day retreat.  I was so happy for her and proud of myself for being her initiation buddy around meditation.  She began going with me to my teacher's dharma talks right after she had a serious bout of illness that landed her in the hospital for many weeks.  Now she derives comfort and direction from the Buddhist path, and whether we go together or not, she pursues her journey on her own.  We have a great tenderness with each other and I love sharing our path and experiences on the way.  I'm kinda proud of myself.  I never pushed anything, but she could see it was making a difference for me, and she asked questions and everything led slowly and gently from there.  I'm not out to convert anyone, but I'm pleased that changes in me have been noticed.  I must be doing something right some of the time!

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I'm feeling a little buzz of anxiety about my daughter and the baby and the holiday tasks before me.  My daughter is exhausted, like all new mothers, and has no down time as the baby is nursing, crying and evidently not sleeping much.  I feel powerless, because she wants to nurse whenever he cries, and evidently the books are saying to do so, whereas I worry about her sore breasts and her exhaustion.  She is so conscientious.  This early period will be over, but I doubt she can see that right now.  The baby will become curious and will be more distractable, but so far he's furiously eating his way through life.  I'll go over and keep her company and hold and rock the baby, but it's too soon for a bottle and so my power to ease the situation is limited.
With the holiday tasks, it's much easier, and I write lists, check off tasks and get out a bit while doing so.  But all the while my mother's instinct is pulling me to worry about my daughter.  I know she is fine, but I have so much empathy, perhaps too much, and I wish I could do more.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I'm getting my settled after our daughter's giving birth, as is she.  It's great to see the confidence growing and the little fellow settling in to the world.  This new family's change is monumental, but it reminds me how disorienting change for the better can be.  It's like a body blow and you walk around stunned.  To our daughter it literally was a body blow, but the rest of us are exhausted and slow and unable to focus really well.  And baby is blinking his eyes, crying, stretching, startling and doing his best to adjust to this very noisy, bright, strange world.  Luckily, everyone adores him and I'm sure he feels that body to body. 
But it makes me think about those births which are lonely and unsupported, without two parents, without security and loads of loving relatives, and how they struggle to survive.  It makes me think about "Moonlight" and the young boy of a single mother who is addicted to crack and his loneliness and pain.  Bless all those children who don't have what they should have as a birthright, and may they receive help and care and modeling and love somewhere along their way.  And may we strive to be a better society that cares for these children, values them, and gives them support.  They are floating angels that we must embrace and hold.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I love all the information our daughter is getting about breastfeeding and the baby.  She also can call a nurse day or night.  When I think back to my babies, I was really on my own.  By the last one I had La Leche to call and ended up in a toddler group so all the mothers shared experiences and information.  But I was pretty much on my own.  My own mother hadn't nursed us and nursing was rare in those days.  I'm amazed I soldiered through.  I remember my mother discouraging me from nursing my first.  I believe she thought it was embarrassing and she also wanted to be able to handle him better herself, which meant a bottle.  This new openness is refreshing and so supportive.  I had to almost hide out to nurse, and certainly never do it in public.  They shamed us for wanting the best for our babies and fighting to give them the best nutrition.  Seeing the confidence in my other daughter and daughter-in-law, and now this daughter is happiness indeed.