Santa Clause Parade Miracle (November 18, 2018)

So, with kids, and attempted naps….if you can believe it, WE MISSED THE PARADE L

Kids have never seen the santa clause parade, and they totally are the right age to enjoy big parades and festivities.  

Montana and Yemaya are being raised to enjoy the whole ‘santa clause’ Christmas phenomenon…. Although I was never raised with that J

They also will grow up lighting channukah candles and celebrating channukah, and singing some of those songs, and eating latkes and cookies, like Mama did growing up <3 o:p="">

So today, we did a ttc-public transport mission to try and catch the parade, we thought it moved slower than it did….so after a bit of chasing, we got to the end of the parade route….and were told by family passer by-ers…. We just missed it L SUCH a shame!!!!

So although sad, I tried to just sort of pass over the whole reality of that, and just got really excited with the few remaining celebration festivities we saw…. ‘look, a funny costume, look, beautiful lights on trees, look at all that colourful confetti on the ground leftover, yaaaaay J’. And then we continued with the exciting sweet treat part of the parade plan…. We went and had hot sweet chocolate J

It was still a special adventure, and it was nice and kids were happy J

We figured out where we were to catch the bus home, and we walked, at our kid sleepy-pace, and headed towards the bus stop.

While getting to a main road, with a big stoplight….we heard the big beeping sounds of the police vehicles, and right before us… WERE THE PARADE FLOATS!!!!

!!!

They were cleared of people at this point, and it was moving traffic-speed fast….but right before our eyes, WAS THE ENTIRE PARADE….float after float of big exciting Christmas-y and winter-y creatures and gingerbread houses and penguins and bears, etc etc….

Front row standing room, no one in front of us to block any views J

and our excitement was HUGE that it was happening, and that we didn’t even miss it!!!

What a beautiful  story, universe TOTALLY came through for us here, and as usual, restores my faith in just TRUSTING and feeling positive, and moving along….keeping going….it’s all good. And look what happens…. You just never know….

And here we were, accepting we missed it, still trying to keep positive and light and happy and having a good time with good memories, and there before us… THE ENTIRE PARADE J

Minus Santa ;)

So now we are at home, and the kids are all talking about ‘santa’ ;)

I am just talking about Santa, like he’s a happy jolly guy that really loves Christmas, I’m definitely not gonna play up like he’s a ‘real being delivering gifts’ but he’s a great story and character to be excited about…. Especially in this culture that just loves to celebrate and spread his (capitalistically fuelled) story J

And in terms of the whole ‘christmas spirit’, well, this was a beautiful start and our faith and joy for the season is absolutely present. Mine certainly is…. And I think the kids feel that as well J

What a successful ‘santa clause parade adventure’ after all!

Memories of Teachers (Nov 16, 2018)

Recently, as I ride the waves of ‘job searching’… little moments of my past re-appear in my memory, and images of folks who have been present in my life along the way come into my heart, and I get to reflect on something special…. Someone special. MANY someone’s.

There are people, close sisters, or folks that I shared vulnerabilities with, in different times and places in the world…. I remember them, I remember, almost vividly-on my body- WHAT they taught me.

I think of this crew of monks, from Myanmar, that I hung out with in India, for a period of a couple of months I think.  They were my first teachers of Buddhism, really the first insight I received of this nature.  And still to this day, one of the most simple teachings- that they taught me with their ACTIONS, comes back to me almost daily.

I YEARN to actually practice it completely, but I ALWAYS have it to come back to, re-appearing for me to keep me in the RIGHT place.

DO GOOD, DO NOT DO BAD, KEEP YOUR MIND CLEAN.

Try/practice non-harmful thinking, and actions, and feelings.

Then seeing Thich Nhat Hanh, doing morning walking meditations, and listening to his speeches…. Those added to the lessons years later…

Through and through, Thich Nhat Hanh LIVES his beliefs.  In a place and time of war and injustice, he not only WAS peaceful, he ‘PREACHED’ peace. And he still does, to this day. Probably Millions of folks have followed in his footsteps, because of his TRUE practice in peace.

Why do we do things in-authentically?

I have so many possible answers to that question ;)

I know one of the answers, is that humyns are influencable creatures.  We are largely socialized. Our CORES are US. They/We are unique at our ROOTS, in our CORE FOUNDATIONS, we are our own special selves.

But we are very quickly influenced, and susceptible to what we are taught/socialized/influenced by/immersed in. 

At his core, I believe Thich Nhat Hanh, so firmly has been rooted in Peace.  Many amazing folks are amazingly rooted in beautiful peaceful caring principles- across religions/philosophies/countries. You can always find amazing people.

ALSO, many of us get swayed and influenced (myself included!), and there have always people who CAPITALIZE on this special vulnerability of Humyn-nature- that we are influence-able.

 

And it’s hard to sort through, ‘how to be’ when there are all these factors that influence us.

I KNOW, I need to ‘do good, do not do bad, keep my mind clean’….yet I have to survive, do what feels ethical, within the confines of my LIFE, with twin children, family and partner … and I will just say the biggest most massive is society/culture/capitalism/the social environment in which I am SO enmeshed in.

So these friends, these memories of really wonderful humyns in my life. Moreso these folks in recent years, who have been these supportive positive sparkly presences, reminding me of these beliefs I worked so hard to SHIFT and integrate into myself, about how to live good… these really important ethics I know exist in me, when I am able to tap back into them, and live them a little bit more fully.

I find it comes in waves it’s true (like a sweet sister recently spoke of)… the waves of being able to really be present with all my knowledge and strengths and positive GOOD ways of living, in my steps and interactions with fellow humyns in all my areas of life. 

SOMETIMES, I do good, I do not do bad, and I keep my mind clean.

THIS is certainly the goal these days.

And THIS is the goal as I look for work, and imagine days in the future.

Imagine in my mind, as I remember in my mind too…. All these great folks I crossed paths with, who were truly kind… or at least PRACTICED trying to be.

I give thanks for all them, as these days, they really keep me going...

And I give thanks for Universe/Creation/Pachamama too. For these experiences I've lived, and these insights to remember.

OUTFITS (November 6, 2018)

I wore many outfits today.

Packing kids to go, french toast making mama outfit.

Which was also a sweet walk in the rain to a delicious yoga class session outfit....

Then I switched my pants to make it more of a professional going to talk to previous boss to be my future job-reference outfit.

That turned Into a pick up my twin kids n take them home on public transportation outfit.

This outfit got a bit dirty, because it turned into a floury pizza- making outfit-with with my kids from purchased-dough scratch ...SO delicious.

 

Second last outfit was....a super diva brown/yellow/black-collared retro dress with a nice flowy skirt... because I'm going to a play with Some fantastic diva mother's....a play called ‘secret life of a mother’ - honouring all of us MOTHERS.  I felt it’s a great reason to dress myself up in a fancy outfit. I, as mother, deserve to dress up, and be honoured for my breathtaking beauty (that secret be told, has nothing to do with my outfit ;) )....but can still Be expressed so.

Final late night outfit…. Was comfy pajama outfit. After going into my babies bedroom, and covering them up and give them little kissies. Then I made sure the kitchen was to my liking, because I am on breakfast patrol in the morning, and I know after a diva long day like that, I wouldn’t be as sharp in the morning.

All those little pieces of my life right now, the changing of the hats, and styles and ROLES are very reflective of this time.

I am a Mom of twins, I am also trying to step into professional role, and independent womyn, and humyn. All require different outfits of expression, even if they really don’t matter. Which they don’t.  

Describing my outfits is just a way to tell my story…. I do believe that is true of humyns around the world…. Aren’t we beautiful <3 span="">