Welcome to my corner of the world. I'm so glad you're here. Join me in a conversation about how we build a bridge between daily life and the life we're longing for. As you explore, you'll discover stories, some of my favorite things, a whole lot of love, and perhaps even join me in a little lip syncing. Learn more about me right here.
Come along to Tell It: 15 days of prompts and inspiration to feed your creative soul. Register right here.
Bowls of heart pocket talismans have been gathering in the studio filled with the words and phrases kindred spirits are holding close this year. What is your word? You can find the talismans right here.
The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention…. A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.
Rachel Naomi Remen
how are you? really. how. are. you?
(let it out.)
take a breath
Reader Comments (31)
The problem with letting it out is that sometimes, I'm afraid it will never stop and I won't be able to shove it all back in.
...so I'm fine, really! :)
In all seriousness though Liz, you are such a beautiful soul. I may joke about my answer to this question, but I feel such sincerity in you, your words, your presence. Thank you.
Love the photo!
I am conflicted this week. And grieving. As I continue to take the steps toward new health and boundaries and choices and thought patterns, I do pretty much okay until I'm confronted with a tragedy or trauma or unforseen moment. This week has been a big one.
My 39 year old brother in law has been in the hospital almost two weeks. His 20 years of alcoholism finally did him in, to the point of permanent brain damage. When he leaves the hospital he'll need 24-hour care. I'm sad, sad, sad and mad, frustrated, confused, etc.
My usual pattern would be to swoop in and take charge (my husband's family are not action-oriented people). However, this time I've *really* and *repeatedly* been asking myself if that's the role I should play. Tough stuff.
I want to be kind and compassionate and, of course, make things better! But it can't be better. So, I'm stepping aside and letting my husband and his other brother handle things to the best of their ability. I'm letting go. It's very hard, because then I'm just left with my emotions - and no pretty package to wrap them in :-0
Without the DO-ing, I'm left with BE-ing. (Isn't that the point of all our growth and blogging and discover?) And yet it is hard, hard, hard.
I'm weary from the grief and the unknowing and losses from the past coming back to the surface.
And yet also I'm still happy and healthy and joyous and drastically clinging to all things good in the world.
Thank you, my dear Liz, for asking.
Hugs,
Lisa
today...
i am happy
and excited
and sunny.
the day is stretched out
before me filled
with infinite possibilities...
and tonight,
i look forward to
being the drummer in rock band,
chinese takeout
and
sex...
{heee...you asked.}
you ask the best questions.
I say "I'm fine" and mean it in a way I haven't in weeks and weeks. I have been through (and am still traveling through) one of the hardest experiences of my entire life--certainly the hardest of my adult life, but this complete breakdown of things has made me open up. My favorite Leonard Cohen quote says it, "There's a crack in everything...that's how the light gets in," & this is *completely* true for me. For this moment, I am just breathing into where I am--by summer's end, I will know if I remain rooted or in flight...
Love,
D.
What a beautiful thing to find this morning. Thank you.
And today, I'm rested. Slept more last night than I have in weeks. The sun is shining. Life is good.
I'm a little stressed out. I wrote something for another online community that is what I believe to be the truth -- a hard truth to look at or think about, a hard truth to face and live with, but the only way out of the kinds of messes that pop up in this community (which I'm a part of -- and I get in the messes, too). I'm afraid of people getting mad. But I wanted to say what I thought was the truth. Thinking about it as I'm writing here, even if I didn't communicate it clearly, I still would have wanted to have written it. Even if it doesn't have the effect I wanted. Maybe I need to rethink how to try to communicate this, if communicating it is really important to me. (Which it is.)
Thanks for this post. This is too cool for school.
Today, right now, I'm really happy. And as I write that it makes me a little scared. But, right now, this day, I'm really happy. Thank you for asking and listening. xoxo
I'm sick and feeling poohie.
How am I? Stunned by synchronicity. At a meeting with counselling colleagues today, we spoke of silence as a resource that we don't draw on often enough. I pondered the courage it takes to sit in silence with someone. Then I read this. Thank you1
As this is my first post here, I won't dive right in with an answer to that remarkably profound question (on a remarkably profound site).
What I will say is just how rare silence is in our world today, and how out of practice we are at it. Trying to still the body is hard enough, let alone the mind.
I've been recently challenged to try and be still and clear my mind for five minutes, and I'm struggling with that! The idea being, that if we can't truly listen to ourselves, how can we ever really listen others?
I definitely agree there is healing power in silence - for ourselves first and foremost, and then for others.
single again! :-)
What a nice question (here from Jan Lemen, love your blog!!)
I am doing okay, and by that I mean, middle-of-the-road, not a "B", not an "A", but not a "D" or "F". I'm a "C". I could certainly be better, but I could also definitely be worse.
My partner's illness waxes and wanes and right now we're not sure what it's doing and it's scary, and frustrating, and hard. But we still have hope. She is not out of bed yet so I'm still waiting to see how she feels today. Hopeful it's 'better', but knowing most likely she still feels bad. It makes me want to cry and pound something.
Our elderly kitty finally went to the bathroom (after days of painful constipation!!) so we are glad. Granted, it was on the rug, but...
I am feeling guilty because I should go out on a run, but I feel okay because I know I will go later in the day.
I'm relieved that a couple of my pet-sitting jobs are over, but weary because many new ones are beginning.
At this moment right now, I am at peace, however. I have a big cup of tea, a kitty sitting on my lap kneading my belly and purring, and I'm watching my neighbors work on their house. At this moment, things are just fine, good, even.
Thanks for asking. :)
Beautiful post, I found you through Jen Lemen and instantly added you to my google reader so I never miss a thing!
How am I? Hmm...
Despite the fact that I am in the middle of a divorce and I have somehow found myself in a complicated relationship with my bestfriend (another girl no less)- I must say I am happy. Really happy. If not joyous. I feel like sun is shining in my life for the first time in a long while.
Thanks for asking.
Oh, wow, what a sweet post.
To answer your question: I recently had my third baby in three years, quite a feat for someone who said she never wanted kids, and am finding that I am not a naturally good mother...and yet, the challenge of it all has taken me to places I never thought I could go, and made life more interesting than I ever could have imagined.
Thank you for asking.
How are YOU? We're listening. :)
Oh love-
tear filled, relieved yet angry, not in a long lasting way, but an exhausted, frustrated, sick of feeling it kind of way.
disconnected-which I often do when I haven't been in blog land for a while
torn between the independent life and my family life and what is best for it.
Loved - because you are such a good listener.
I am here to listen too;)
Love you
i tend to be a listener more than a talker and i've found this little truth in life when one is so: that people tend to come to you more than others and open their hearts out to you. it's a privelege i honor.
and, i am very well, thank you for asking!
I am...
running the house,
making some friends,
missing my husband, but he is here and we are tired.
I have...
been eating too much sugar
getting too little sleep
and managed to meditate a few time lately.
I am leanring to cultivate gratitude in the amazing life of mine. When I stop to shine it up a bit it is just breathtaking.
(((Thanks for asking me!)))
Wonderful now that I've read that quote!! I completely agree, and all of my favorite relationships in my life are based around this one idea, of listening, of being able to sit in loving silence. I am copying this down into my journal. THANK YOU!
as always...so real here with you. letting it out? well...relief would be my mantra this week...along with gratitude. we had a scare with one of my darling little granddaughters...who is now on the upside to recovering from a bad seizure. thankful for the power of love. oh, yeah...i tagged you...if you'd like to play along!
xo
LOL
let it out?
ok:)
i am so so so sleepy as
i went to a lovely little
indian party friday evening
and then out with a girlfriend
last night ~ i am feeling the need
to be quiet and bake a strawberry
pie today (wearing your
o~so~beautiful apron)
and make chai and
read and dream a bit....
i am very good at dreaming
~ squishy hugs for you my dear~~
much better now that i came here, thanks. :)
i've missed it here.
What a beautiful gift! Thank you for asking for listening to me, to all of us.
Today,
I am well.
Feeling health returning after a week long fight with a cold.
Feeling rested as the day has been for me and not work related to-do lists.
Feeling excited about an upcoming trip that is NOT work related even if work might creep in here and there during it.
Feeling happy that I got to go swing dancing with my sweetheart last night,...and he ENJOYED himself. :)
Feeling grateful for the community I have in my walking world and with my online friends.
Now, how are You?
Can't wait to sit and listen to how your travels have gone. I'm doing alright ... but, the weight of the last many weeks has been heavy. Love the yummy picture. xx, JP/deb
I have to say, I really love your post. Not just your post, but your whole blog. I found it a couple of weeks ago, and it has been a great inspiration to me. Thank you so much. (As a fellow crafter, I must also say you handiwork is also quite nice).
How am I doing? Mixed, full of ups and downs, highs and lows.
I am chronically ill, but I also have very supportive doctors and friends who support me.
I am often lonely, but I am also engaged and in love.
I happy, but often my hearts aches and worries over things i cannot control.
I feel fatigued and tired, but I want to go run until my lungs burst.
I feel like I'm in a rut, but my heart and mind are to the point of overflowing with ideas and inspiration.
Thanks for asking.
Mz. Liz.. I MISS YOU TERRIBLE!!!! HUGS to You!!!