06/09/2026
“Here is your trophy for resting, Mama!”
he explains,
as he shows me an oyster shell
he lovingly found for me
on his hike through the woods
with his big sis and Daddy.
He holds it up for me to see,
eyes gleaming with pride,
“Look at all the layers, Mama!
Do you see how it shines in the light?!”
“Oh honey! You saved this just for me?!
I’m so lucky!”
He places the shell gently
in the palms of my hands,
and my eyes well up with tears,
at this pearl of wisdom he has given me.
How does my sweet, curly headed baby boy
know exactly
how to heal my heart
after all these years?
Back surgery
in the strangest twist of fate
has brought me
back
to the start
to the beginning
to the basics
to myself
so that I can come back
wiser, stronger, softer, gentler, kinder.
Only now do I truly understand,
to my core,
to my literal backbone,
that when my inner critic’s voice
becomes loud
and my self worth
becomes enmeshed
with moving,
fixing,
solving,
producing,
doing…
I must remind myself
I’ve already “won”
all there is in life worth “winning”
by simply being
human.
More often than we let ourselves think,
rest
is
best.
I don’t even know how to begin to thank all of the people in our village, both near and far, who have stepped up to support me and my family ❤️ We are grateful beyond words.
To those of you who have so kindly checked in about when we might be able to practice yoga together again, the answer for now is I really don’t know. I am touched by your eagerness to move and breathe again together, and it’s bolstering my spirits so much! I am also so excited for that to happen when I have made a full,safe recovery ❤️
In the meantime, please know that every time I take a mindful breath, I am sending you gratitude and patience and strength and peace and good health and happiness and love. My heart loves your hearts. Thanks for walking with me ❤️