Nurture

I deeply appreciate the milder weather this December. Life has been full (adding house projects to the holiday season may be the last straw), and I have been feeling behind for the last six month. The milder temperatures seem like a gift from nature, offering up an incentive to get outside and walk or rake out a few more leaves from the flower beds, anything to breathe in fresh air and nurture the soul.

The need for tender loving care has never been so evident to me. Without it, our stress level continues to rise, our exhaustion dominates our well being, and personal relationships suffer. Of course, nurturing can mean very different things to people. I can't tell you how much I love it when my husband cooks a meal or how rejuvenating a long nap on the weekend can be for me.

I have been observing the nurturing that even occurs between animals. I appreciate how the male cardinal will sit side-by-side with the female cardinal on the feeder and pass seed directly into her beak. Or, how the squirrels groom one another outside the patio doors before tumbling away and tussling to race up the tree in some intricate form of primal communication and domination.

Even Freddy demands his needs be met, when he feels under the weather. A periodically recurring virus will rear its ugly head and his ears will become hot for a day or two. Then, this feline, who often feigns disinterest, follows me around the house, waiting for me to sit so that he can jump into my lap and find some comfort.

So,I am reminded this holiday season to nurture myself and those I love, especially in this process of refurbishment. Before the snow begins to fly, demanding we bundle up in layers of winter gear to depart the house for even the quickest errand, I will try to find moments each day for myself and those I love -- the gift that won't be found in a box wrapped with a bow but does make spirits merry and bright in the most authentic way.

Being

Lessons from Last Night's Storm:

Despite my best intentions, I have been quiet here on A Measured Word the last few weeks. In large part, it is a simple response to the time of year which seems to pull me in opposite directions with urgency. Physically, I am engaged in frenetic activity with the holidays approaching, house projects, clean up outdoors, and all the usual commotion and demands of family life. Mentally, I want to settle into a peaceful hibernation with winter approaching but find my thoughts jostled like the leaves blowing about outside.

Then, the Paris attacks occurred, and I have been trying to put my thoughts into context, feeling battered by the realization that the world is once again on the cusp of great upheaval. Last night, my older daughter's coughing woke me around 4:00 a.m. She is finally turning the corner on a terrible chest cold. After handing off the cough syrup, I lay in bed and heard the wind gusting outside, foreshadowing today's rain and drop in temperatures. Somehow, I was able to gather my thoughts.

One thing I appreciate about this old, brick house is how it stands the test of time. It is solid beneath my feet. Its thick walls buttress my family from the elements and contain a history, including refurbished bricks from the first NYC sewer system built in the mid-1800's. So, even as forces as great as gravity and weather and time work to return our home to nature, with a bit of upkeep and maintenance it will remain steadfast. Likewise, even as the dark forces of our humanity spread destruction, loss, and hatred, I will remain steadfast as well.

I need to continue to remind myself of what I know, what I believe, what I live. I will rely on the legacy of strong men and women in my lineage. I will rest on and return the love and strength of my husband and children. I will roll up my sleeves to spread hope and peace even in ways that may seem far too small and inconsequential. I will remember that each individual has a story which when heard brings understanding and empathy. Rather than react in kind and allow fear to own me, I will simply breathe in deeply first, open myself to goodness, and simply be.

Beauty remains, if we take the time and effort to see it, really see it. Amazing what nature teaches.