moladmin – Minding Our Lives

Minding Our World

Lying in bed last night, I was stressing about the upcoming weeks and months and how I was ever going to get through them without wanting to pull the blanket over my head and hide until we were well into 2021! November… December… Don’t get me wrong. I love the holidays but they are always, by nature, a bit stressful. And this year, with all that’s going, I’m already maxed out in the stress department.

As I thought about all the normal preparations – shopping, cooking, baking, decorating, gatherings, I imagined how different all these activities would be this year will be from any we have ever known. And I wonder if I can detach myself from the current state of our country, our world, enough to experience a normal (there’s that word again!) holiday season with everyone I love.

My main hesitancy, I think, centers around gift buying. Watching everyone rip open their packages…the smiles on their faces when they see what’s inside… that’s when my soul is soaring! But this year, I wonder if I’ll feel the same…wonder if it’s the right thing to do. With so many needing healthcare, shelter, […]

moladmin2020-10-19T23:05:30+00:00October 20th, 2020|Minding Our World|6 Comments

Minding Our Spirits

Digging Deep

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you already know I am a card-carrying foodie. I love restaurants, grocery stores (especially gourmet type), kitchenware shops, new gadgets, new recipes, new foods, etc. That said, this morning I was emptying my dishwasher and along with all the other familiar kitchen utensils, there stood the tallest of these, my trusty old soup ladle that had been used to dish up last night’s homemade chicken rice soup. As I reached for it, I felt the need to hold onto it for a minute. (I’m already sensing your judgment!)

And then, clutching it closely, I realized…I love my ladle! I know it’s crazy; but honestly I tell you…I love my ladle. Holding it brings all good feelings to mind. Crazy…absolutely, but bear with me, please.

As I hold this simple tool in my hand, my mind and each one of my senses react – conjuring up all the comfortable, familiar, cozy settings in which this unassuming utensil has been present – not center stage, just present. All the delicious, homey, warm smells and tastes that have been delivered by this exaggerated […]

moladmin2020-10-16T02:44:48+00:00October 16th, 2020|Minding Our Spirits|8 Comments

Minding Our Time

Winter is coming! And this year I’m going to hygge – a lot!!

What, you may ask, is “hygge”? I’m really excited to share with you all I’ve discovered about it and why I think hygge may be exactly what I need to get me through the next few months. But first, let me tell you what brought me to it.

I’ve “hinted” in previous posts that lately I’ve been feeling unsettled. As summer wanes and autumn’s personality becomes obvious, for some reason, my anxiety grows. This is unusual for me. I typically look forward to seasons changing. And October has always been a favorite month. But this year, the transition has left me anxious. It feels as if a lot has to happen to bring me back to a place of relative peace and harmony. And I have so little control over making that happen. Even my self-talking isn’t working.

So I decided that maybe some more aggressive self-care was in order. Begin small, I thought, with things close to me, things I can control. I began thinking of what makes me feel good, what typically lifts my spirits – being cozy and […]

moladmin2020-10-01T14:30:18+00:00October 2nd, 2020|Minding Our Time|6 Comments

Minding Our Minds

I write this post to talk with you about how I am trying to deal with our world today. My hope is that, upon reading about my sometimes successful efforts, you will feel free to share with all of us whatever vehicles you are using to do the same. We are all in this together!

Conversations with Self

“When we restore peace within ourselves, we have a chance to restore peace in others”. Thich Nhat Hanh, beloved Vietnamese Buddhist monk

I’ve been thinking a lot about these words lately. Thich Nhat Hanh has been part of my mindfulness journey for some time but I find myself seeking out his wisdom now more than ever as the confluence of events this year has plunged me deeper into this pursuit. External events – this pandemic, the forced isolation, the fears and sufferings of so many, the insecurities and uncertainties…all make my quest for inner peace so very difficult. But, ironically,

The quote above has been haunting me. How can I be an instrument of peace for others in our world if, deep within myself, there is unrest? So I breathe, burrow deep, focus, […]

moladmin2020-09-23T16:04:25+00:00September 18th, 2020|Minding Our Minds|2 Comments

Minding Our Spirits

Just look at that beautiful face in the picture above. Doesn’t it make you smile…give you pause… ? Doesn’t she remind you of someone you know…or someone you would like to know? Now, if you will, keep her face in your mind as you read the selection below.

Myself Growing Older

by Marsie Silvestro

Here I am becoming clear

Standing strong, from my years.

I am woman growing older

Finding life in myself

Finding truth in myself

Being free.

See the lines around my eyes,

Stories lived, tears I’ve cried

I am woman growing older

Finding beauty in myself

Finding strength in myself

Being strong.

I have loved, hurt, and healed

Found my dreams keep me real

I am woman growing older.

Finding peace in myself

Finding love in myself.

Growing old

moladmin2020-09-03T22:55:38+00:00September 4th, 2020|Minding Our Spirits|0 Comments

About moladmin

Minding Our World

Minding Our Spirits

Minding Our Time

Minding Our Minds

Minding Our Spirits