Rest Well

HALT is a way to remind ourselves the importance of not letting ourselves get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. After a long day of unpacking, going to play dominoes with good friends was made much more fun when I got to hold a new kitten, Lucy. Lucy has an older sister kitty, and I talk to her in my best squeaky cat talk voice but KK is too shy with strangers to relax and snooze.

Here is Lucy napping on my lap during the game.

Lucy’s personality and her surrendered napping on my lap jogged my thinking about how different we all are. KK wants to be close but just can’t trust enough to let herself enjoy it.

At a recent Grief Journey Group several people shared profound pain around loved ones wanting or needing to do their process differently. One person wants to pack up photos, give away clothes, and move on. Another chooses to have the loved-ones items stay in their places. With tears born of experience, the message of encouragement was, “Just because we do things differently does not mean we don’t love each another.”

This awareness is not just important around loss or grief because recognizing and respecting differences is key in all relating.

The past ten days has been very busy for me. A close friend moved into Glen-Aire, our 55+ Manufactured Home community, just down the street. She had MAJOR back surgery last year and is still healing from that. Since I am a bit excessive about organization, my skills were welcome.

The move was more major than most because this couple just got married in April. A few weeks before the wedding both of their homes sold immediately with very quick closings, necessitating all the contents of both homes being packed up for going into storage. The unpacking, therefore, was unusual in that every box came from one or the other of the homes and the contents of each had to be negotiated compassionately. They moved out of large homes with basements and garages and a life time of belongings. They moved into 13, 000 square feet.

Many times I said it clearly, “If it is meaningful, there is room for it.”

I am humbled to say right now I probably know where more of their things are than either of them. But it won’t stay that way long.

And Lucy won’t stay a tiny kitten long either. I trust my friends will love curling up in their new home, and I trust Lucy will continue to enjoy curling up with new friends.

The nature of life is change. Some changes are welcome, some are forced; some are pleasant, some are painful. Sometimes we move into much larger or significantly smaller spaces, or even into a brand new community.

Whatever changes are happening for you right now, I hope when you are tired you will let yourself curl up somewhere safe and take a nap. May all beings rest well…