Saturday, May 10, 2014

Ready

Lord. Where have I been? Every morning I wake up and think, shit. I have a blog post to write. Then I think it again the next day, and then there's so much to say that I sort of got overwhelmed and just put it off for a better time, another day I'll be able to sit down, to concentrate for real. Then I can do it.

Ha ha ha. We all know how that kind of planning goes. But then! The children went to see their grandparents for Mother's Day. My husband is at work. I'm having a huge Saturday night vegetable roasting party and I'm the only one invited so I can do whatever I want. Which means I can cook and write and go to sleep when I get tired. Word.

I finally funked right on out of my funk. Something that helped was this rock my therapist gave me in group the other week. Here it is:



I was talking about how I can't get things to go the way I want or think they should and then we all nodded since I have "issues" with being a little...."controlling"? And then she gave me this rock, some slips of paper, and a rubber band. She said something like: "Write the things you're worried/trying to control on the slips of paper. Rubberband them to the rock. Carry it everywhere. When you're ready to let something go take it off of the rock until there's just the rock. Then maybe be able to let that go too."

I wrote my things: my mom. My dad. My weight. Money. Finding balance. Work frustration. Eating too much. I rubberbanded them to my rock and went to sleep with my rock next to me on the table by my bed.

I got up the next morning and went for a run: me and my rock and my worries. In my head I was bitching at myself for holding on to things, for being worried and not faith full. Chiding myself for not being able to do the rock thing right. Worrying about failing. In my in my head desperate voice I wailed to myself "But what if I fall???"

And then a voice, my own, but from way down deep inside of me said,

"What if I catch you?"

I sobbed in relief. Instant, overwhelming, blanketing full on full out relief.

I looked at the rock in wonder.

Then I remembered that I was in public, and running. And so I said a fervent prayer of thanks out loud straight up to the sky. Then I wiped my eyes and kept on going.

When I got back to the car I took the rubberband off of the rock and put the slips of paper in the door compartment of the car. I drove home with the rock in my lap.

I haven't really carried the rock around since. My parents and I have made a gentle peace with each other- kind of like we were all wearing tight coats and then someone suggested we unbutton them. It still feels weird, but more comfortable. I am still too thinking about my weight, but I'm running, and rolling around on the floor doing yoga. I'm not eating too much on purpose. I gave up money worries because it's May, or Saturday, or a bird chirped.

I'm reading this book. It's changing my life. It came along when I was ready. Ready, just like I was ready for the rock. Ready for my voice.

Ready, after all these years, to trust myself again.

12 comments:

  1. Amy….! Amy Amy Amy. I so love you and what you share. What book are you reading? Love the rock idea. Love that you stopped blogging for a while.. that seems healthy too. You're amazeballs. That s all. Bye xxx

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    1. Sometimes I have to pause. And sometimes I'm plain lazy.

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  2. Sorry just saw that you had 'this book' as a link. I am going to order it. I want what you've got. xxx

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  3. Oh my goodness I loved this post! Thanks so much for sharing that moment with your inner voice and sob of relief. What a special thing for you. And I may have to put that book on my reading list. I have another one of his I like. Also re-reading The Power of Now, which really has helped me. Congrats on learning to trust you! :)

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    1. Thanks! Being able to rely on oneself is such a huge gift.

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  4. I've heard that voice too...it's such a relief to know that I don't have to be in control at all times...that, for a change someone's got MY back. Then I forget and He has to remind me again.

    Because, of course, mere mortals couldn't possibly do it right. Thank goodness there's someone or something that can.

    Oh...and I cry when I hear it too. It's just such a HUGE relief!

    Love, hugs and Happy Mothers Day!

    Sherry

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    1. I find life just so much easier when I stop doing all that white knuckling and just be. It's hard to give up control, but I feel so much more in control when I'm not in control- you know?

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  5. Thank you, thank you, thank you for a wonderful Mother's Day Gift to myself, I just read the first chapter. You know I think I felt all that mindfulness when I was newly arrived in recovery, but then I let it slip away, I forgot to be mindful of everything that had been waiting for me to sober up.

    I loved the imagery of the too tight coats, sometimes we bundle each other and ourselves up to keep us safe and warm, and we end up strangling on our "safeness.". I feel that way sometimes with one of my sons, all buttoned up, too afraid to open a few buttons and let him in because he might tell me some hard truths I need to deal with. But I'm tired of walking around like the little brother in "The Christmas Story". I need to put my arms down.

    I went away from blogging for awhile too. I'm glad we're back.

    Happy Mother's Day!

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    1. Remembering to be mindful is a lot some days. Sometimes I'm forgetful of my mindfulness. Practice.

      Hard truths, as long as they are true, are worth hearing.

      Xoxo

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  6. Thank you Amy another book to add to the list! :)

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    1. I love books! I swear I would go on a reading vacation. Just a cabin and some books for a week. Heaven.

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  7. I love the idea of making myself carry a rock around with my worries attached to it! It's such a physical reminder of what I do to myself when I refuse to let go. "What if I catch you?" Trust, surrender, faith, hope...it's all in that sentence.

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