March Forth 2008
Yes, the only day on the calendar that you can’t walk backwards…ha ha…I think of this pre-spring riddle throughout the year. Today I thought I’d put forth some recent thougths on “marching forth.” Seems like everyone I met today was consciously making an effort to bring happiness, self-knowledge, positivity and growth into his or her life.
Let’s start with yours truly. I took a much needed day off and urged my 4 year old to play hooky from pre-school. I have been wishing for the past few days to spend a delicious day alone with my daughter - before it’s too late. Not to speak in apocalyptic tones, but really, the past four years have been a blur. So, together we went to my fantastic foot doctor for a holistic podiaic adjustment (god bless this man!). As Franny, said 4 year old, was endlessly questioning the technicians about the accupuncture needles and toe stretchers, I noticed the beautiful woman next to me and the book she was reading, The Gift. She looked up from her book and I realized she was the mommy of one of Franny’s school chums. Bunions, corns and bone spurs aside, we talked only about the book she read and its inspiration and gifts it was bestowing on her - hmmmmmmm. mental note: find used copy of The Gift.
Next we offed to the park with Franny’s favorite pink Hello Kitty Scooter. Wishing we could simply walk to a park in our neighborhood and knowing that unfortunately, our area in the city is park-less, I decided to walk about our neighboring streets. Trash, glass and near-do-wells everywhere! “Up and coming” neighborhood, my foot! Determined not to get down and annoyed - on this - THE day to put the year’s good intentions in motion - March Forth - I threw Franny and the scooter in the Civic and drove to the next-door neighborhood park. Where we met Arden and her two year old twins. Maybe I’ll be like Arden soon and live in a neighborhood with a park - I instantly turned on my law of attraction powers and eyed some over-priced houses for sale. But alas, Arden also lives in a dubious up and coming neighborhood and had to drive to the park too. We were happy to talk and hash out this seemingly common disappointment: buy affordable home in u&c city neighborhood but still can’t walk to anything! Determined once again not to get emotionally bogged down in a situation that is ambivilant at best, I suggested we get a treat at the cafe across from the park (do these neighbors realize how good they have it?)
Settled in with chocolate chip muffin and frothy, yummy latte, I looked at the woman at the table next to ours. Animated, with beautiful skin and red tresses, she poured over a book on Ayurvedic Beauty. She looked up and me and shouted, “juju! I know you from juju!” Yes! I knew her too - she frequents our spa and we recently talked about her idea of studying Holistic Health Counseling in New York. The book she was reading today, she told me, was for a yoga teacher training class she attended. Wow, she was an inspiration in less than 5 sentences! My kind of woman!
I hear Franny downstairs, upset over playdough gone inexplicably dry. As I figure out how to save her day, I’ll draw on all the positive and, though small, delightful gifts that have come forth today - March 4th - to me.