And Yet There is Such a Thing as Happiness.

 

One of the most Talented-Hit-Me-in-the-Gut-With-Her-Wisdom authors that I've stumbled across recently is the writer, Karen Maezen Miller. She's a Mama and a Zen Teacher.

Her book, Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood, is a treasure. I've underlined half the book. No joke.

Here is one of my favorite passages,

And yet there is such a thing as happiness. There is such a place as bliss. When you drop your expectations, forget your grievances, give up your worries, abandon the plan, stop your striving, let it out, let it go, let things pass, take a breath, take a break, quiet down, be still, empty your mind, open your heart, and come alive, what else is there to be but happy?

I know I feel so much happier when I let go of all the hundreds of little annoyances that occur when spending the day with a toddler. My daughter constantly reminds me of the folly of clinging TOO tightly to my plan.  She reminds me that it's not the end of the world when I don't get my way. She reminds me to frequently take deep breaths. Whenever I start feeling resentful or stressed out, I need to read this passage again.

Karen Maezen Miller will be in D.C. teaching the The Art of Non-Parenting: Discovering the Wisdom of Easy on October 20th and Deeper Still: A Breath and Meditation Workshop on October 21st. $40 for each workshop. I can't wait.