Getting Back to Grace from a State of Hurriedness and Contraction

Update: Healing from my Summer Break

The healing of my formerly broken foot is going well and has given me some laughs along the way. I’m now free of a knee-roller, rollator, walker and my non-candy cane. All of which I used along the way.

In case you missed my prior newletter, I broke my foot in June. I had a non-weight bearing cast and was instructed to not move my foot at all and to not to put ANY weight on it until the cast came off.

Getting acclimated to movement again after having a cast for eight weeks was brutal, but with patience and persistence and Reiki and physical therapy I’ve made “leaps and bounds” well not literally. However, I am back at the gym, yoga and going for long walks.

There is still a tiny hitch in my giddy-up (which sounds cooler than a limp) from my still healing broken foot (bone remodeling takes a year). Recently, I was walking through the airport on my way to Denver when I noticed an elderly man in front of me. What struck me funny was that I was walking (at my current fast pace) in perfect synch with the elderly gentleman’s pace. This struck me funny and made me laugh inside as I thought to myself “I feel you brother.”

This has been a learning and growth experience to say the least. I’m incredibly grateful to those that were a huge help in the process (you know who you are) and to be “on the go” again.

What’s Really Going On? And Getting Back to Grace

When in a state of grace there is generally a feeling of love (versus contraction), connectivity and a surreal sense at times of being in a beautiful scene of a movie, life with all its synchronous moving parts and all its characters. There is a true appreciation of life and there is compassion and humor and less hurriedness and judgment.

When in an unhurried state we notice the beautiful smile of a child and the gleeful unsteady walk of a toddler, or the satisfaction on someone’s face as they take a sip of their fancy coffee drink. And when things aren’t the way we expect them to be or don’t go the way we want them to go we are able to roll with it.

Recently, I lost my wallet. I had placed my wallet on my lap when getting fuel. Later that day when I reached in my purse to pay for physical therapy my wallet wasn’t there. An internal alarm did go off, but it was just a blip in my happiness. I thought whoever found my wallet (and the cash inside) must need it more than I do.

Here was a time I wasn’t in a state of grace. In the midst of my scurry to rearrange things for my Austin trip (I could no longer rent a car without a license in hand) a dear friend was texting and asking if I accidently packed away a gift that I had given her. (Ironically, I didn’t end up being the culprit this time). She was teasing me (she didn’t know my current predicament with my lost wallet) texting something like “I know how you are with things and you know how super organized I am.” Both of her statements were true, but my internal reaction to her loving teasing showed me something was “off.” I was taking myself way too seriously.

It took several more days (and other reactions) to discover what was really going on. Underneath my seriousness was the raw emotion of missing my Mom who had died August 2017. As I came to acknowledge and welcome the resurfacing of grief over a period of a few weeks the grief subsided again and the poignant joy and love I have for my Mom and Dad (both gone) resurfaced and so did my sense of humor.

If you find you are taking yourself too seriously, or overreacting to things, being judgmental, stressed or out of touch with your true beautiful self be gentle with yourself. Discover what it is you need. Perhaps it’s a good cry, company, meditation/Reiki, counseling, time in nature. And remember “this too shall pass.”

Know too that a regular practice of Reiki and/or meditation (ideally daily) is tremendously helpful. The more we do such practices the more we experience a sense of grace, self-acceptance, humor and trust in the unfolding of life. The fact is difficulties and situations (and minor irritants) arise and the more we utilize tools to ground and center ourselves the more we enjoy the journey.

Wishing you a holiday season filled with love and grace and laughter.

Lisa