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The weather has been divine. But wait, there’s more. In the midst of this word intensity of late, I would not dare ask for your time to tell you about the deliciousness of the cool winter tropical breeze. As I said, wait, there’s more - and you may like it. Let me start with a funny little story my Greek grandpa Jacques used to tell me. It was the story of a little hen who was riding in the front seat of a car as a passenger and was very very thirsty. She kept telling the driver how thirsty she was, making him a little batty. “I am so thirsty,” she would say every few minutes, “I am so thirsty.” Finally, they stopped somewhere and the man bought the little hen (why, oh why, was it a little hen?) a nice big glass of cold water. She drank all of it, smiled her little hen smile, thanked him, got back in the car, and within two minutes she was sighing and starting to tell him over and over again: “You know, I was so thirsty. I really was so very thirsty.” Why that story stuck in my mind, I am not sure. But then again, maybe this is why: The temperature over the last six weeks has gradually stepped away from its sticky heaviness. No more sweating most hours of the day and night, no more looking at the clock wondering if it’s too late or too early to go to the beach or on a walk. Basically, it is exactly what I have been waiting for since spring. No, no. Not waiting for. Longing for. Yearning for. Fantasizing about. True, this last summer has felt particularly difficult for me for a combination of reasons. I did not dance well with the hot season. I complained a lot. I think I may have whined, too. And then I complained about whining. I counted the weeks. But this is where it gets rich: here we are. In the place I have been counting toward, fantasizing about. It is delicious. We can walk out of our home anytime we want. My clothes barely smell like mushrooms anymore. I sleep with a blanket. I take a little shawl with me at night. And I drink hot cacao before bed. We have arrived. Which in theory should translate to: I can rest. But I don’t. I don’t, and I am irked that I don’t. The truth is: I don’t trust it. Somehow I am able to simultaneously be almost high on the comfort of the current temperature and both still caught in the sticky memory of the past summer and the sticky knowing that “it” is coming back. In a nutshell: I am fully, embarrassingly non-present. Yuk. How does this translate? Like this: every day for the past six weeks until just a few days ago, I have been looking at my escape plan options for the coming summer. Yup. Instead of basking in the delightfulness, or rather WHILE basking in the delightfulness, I have been auditioning a myriad of cooler summer options, some of them bordering on the silly. In JANUARY. Of course, I have fully observed myself doing this mad dance. I have also observed myself talking way too much about “how-hot-it-was-last-summer.” Good grief. WHO CARES?? Yeah, it was hot but guess what? It’s not now. And as far as how-hot-it-will-be next summer… WHO CARES?? Do I even know for sure that I will be alive next summer? No, I don’t. Thank goodness, I was finally able to catch this, realize I was full-on doing a Thirsty Little Hen routine, and was able to put an end to this pain bath. How? Well, first I had to be nicer to me. I had to stop telling myself how crazy I was, how I would be able to help any of my clients with this, and why I couldn’t help myself. I had to admit that yes I had been a Very Hot Little Hen and that it was ok. AND that it was now time to make some changes. So I looked into my coaching toolbox, moved around a few tools, and found just the one I needed. The Date Tool. Which, while not as fun as it sounds, is super effective. I made a date with myself - or rather, I made a date with this thing/question that was making itself a nest in my head. I thought about it for 12 seconds and decided that May 1st would be a perfectly adequate time to sit down and make a summer plan. Not too late, not too early, May 1st would work just fine. After having enJOYed - really truly enjoyed - months of lovely, gentle tropical breezes, by being present. I made a date and so now, anytime the questions pop up all I need to do is remind them that we already have an appointment to address their concerns. It works. I am 90% better. And of course, this is not just about the temperature. Of course. It rarely is. It is about boundaries, about timing, about knowing what we can take in and when and why. It is about deciding how much news I let in today (and they come in through all kinds of sneaky, harmless-looking little ways), it is about knowing the difference between what I have control over and what I don’t - and then choosing to put most of my energy where it may matter. It is about reclaiming our thoughts, our energy, the way we use our brains, our words, and our hearts. It is about the Essence of Sovereignty at a time when we need it so very much. Comments are closed.
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"Every time I read your blog I am so profoundly happy I did. The truth you speak is just mindboggling. The real, real voice you have. It makes me almost crazy how much I love your words and your way of telling stories that cut to the quick- and I never have the words to really say how much this all means to me.
Laura - I always read your posts and am touched by your vulnerability , courage and honesty. Thank you for sharing from your heart. It is a rare gift in this world. A gift we humans are in desperate need of. You put out so many heartfelt blog pieces that touch my heart and move me down the right path at the right time. Pure beautiful magic girlie. I love you for this. Thank you for digging in there and finding the gems of wisdom and then just sharing them out as if there's an endless supply ... which with you, there is." Archives
February 2025
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"Thank You Laura for sharing, for teaching and spreading loving kindness. " "I think I love you. You bring good things into my life, or remind me of things I love and know, but have let go of." "Laura, you are so good for me. I laugh and sniffle and get the shivers when I read your essays. Thanks so much for letting all your wonderfulness run around loose." "Heart-achingly beautiful, your words and how you reveal your truth." "Thank you so much for who you are and what you share with the world. Your mere being transforms lives as it has transformed mine. This particular post did to my heart what water does to parched soil." "Thank you for your gentle words that are packed full of wisdom. I have been struggling with the concept of what words can do to another person when they are negative words. Your words are the flip side of our word power, and shows how delightfully powerful kind words can be. Thank you." "Once again Laura Lavigne takes you on an adventure of the heart. She has a way of pulling you right in the car with her. Asking you to consider changing a fear to taking thoughtful action. Whether she's teaching a class, leading a retreat or heading for a happiness sprinkling, Laura will invite you to shed old ways of thinking and be completely authentic. Join in!" "Essentially pure love. I enjoy how Laura is kind to herself and to us other humans who dance in and out of each other's lives. " "Don't miss a post! You can count on Laura for warmth, humor, charm, and a lift to your day and your heart. She inspires me to be braver than I am, and to love the world out loud. She's a gem, and a generous one at that!" Me
I write because this is the way I am able to taste life more deeply. |