Felice Shapiro
It’s Healthy Monday, and I’m feeling a bit nauseated by this past week’s events.
This week has been brutal. California has been victimized by a senseless massacre at a country music bar in Thousand Oaks and, if that wasn’t enough, the California fires! Click here to see New York Times, “Pictures of A State in Flames.” And, as much as my heart breaks for all the victims as I read and watch in shock, I can not push away what feels like a selfish thought, “It could have been our/my kids!” Those kids were line-dancing at a bar on a college night…It could have been our kids!
And the fires…the deadly fires….My kids live in LA, and the fire was a few towns away! But…they are OK and I am beyond grateful! But what about everyone else’s kids, friends, relatives? My daughter-in-law was face-timing me last night showing me the smoke outside her home in LA.
“Is it hard to breathe?” I asked anxiously.
“Well, my eyes are watering, and I have a tickle in my throat when I’m walking the dog but we’re mostly staying inside and keeping the air conditioning on.”
“Maybe you could fly here?” I giggle nervously although I’m totally serious.
And then we continue sharing the week’s stories, the recent wedding pictures and plans for Thanksgiving.There is a bit of make pretend in all of this but honestly…What else can we do?
I watched the videos as I’m sure you did of people fleeing their homes in Malibu driving through fires that I thought only Hollywood could have invented. But this is real life.
So, as over 200 thousand people flee the flames, leave and lose their homes, and others mourn their loved ones, murdered senselessly, what can we do? It has been impossible to comprehend this apocalyptic onslaught and hard to process as we observe from afar. Staying grounded when anxious about life events and concerns about my kids’ safety is a practice I revisit during these unsettling times.
So on Sunday, I went to a yoga class and that helped. My mind was quieted for a bit. I made a healthy dinner for my husband, and that helped. I worked on a gift for my husband’s birthday and practiced breathing between sips of Chardonnay.
And then I read my Daily Om which happened to be about Hawk Power and at risk of sounding like a crazy lady, it calmed me.
You see the Hawk is my spirit bird. When I look up and see a Hawk, I believe there is a spiritual power embodied in this awesome bird that reminds me of the bigger picture and lifts me out of my worries. Perhaps it is the embodiment of those who have passed and a reminder that they are still with me. It makes me feel hopeful. Whatever, the reason, which is tough to articulate, I just feel better when I see that Hawk soar. Maybe this is why the Greeks wrote their myths! I too have created a story that helps me surrender to powers beyond my control.
I am sharing this Daily Om about Perspective and Hawk Power with you just in case it could help to calm you as well.
This week in particular I am sending you all prayers of peace, joy and hope. Click here to read about the Hawk….