As I mentioned yesterday . . . I’ve been In A Mood this week. I’m not trying to make excuses or look for sympathy or bring anyone else into this downer-vortex with me. I’m just stating a fact.
Maybe you, too?
I say . . . it’s time to put on some lighthearted footwear (oh how I wish these red sneakers were mine, but they are not) and take a little break here in the Sanctuary.
C’mon in . . .
Let’s find some light together, shall we?
First, let’s start with this simple message. . .
and allow it to set the tone for today’s visit to the Sanctuary.
Someone I follow on Instagram posted this lovely meme-with-a-message from meditation expert Sharon Salzberg last week.
It’s appealing to me in so many ways. Good graphic design. Soft, muted colors that are soothing to look at. And a simple message we can all understand and relate to.
Do the good in front of you even if it feels small.
We can’t do everything.
We can’t fix all the problems.
We can’t keep up with all the outrages.
We can’t. We can’t. We can’t.
But.
We can do something good. Something right in front of us. And we can do it today.
Even if it feels small.
Let this be your mantra. (I’m trying to make it mine.)
Then, let’s continue along that same theme . . .
The Instagram algorithm recently introduced me to Josh Donaldson, the self-proclaimed “Scottish litter-picking forest-dude” and the brains behind Earthdrop. (You can read more about Earthdrop and Josh’s mission here. It’ll make you feel better about the world.)
And here’s a look at Josh, doing the good in front of him (even if it feels small).
What the world needs right now . . . is more light.
Indeed.
Next, let’s have something I thought was going to be silly . . .
but is actually very, very cool. And hopeful. And good. So, yeah. I saw this little clip featuring naturalist Marianne Wellington on Instagram. It caught my eye because it was . . . a full-grown adult person . . . wearing a whooping crane costume . . . and carrying a beautiful crane head puppet. And I had to see what THAT was about. Well. Turns out that there is a program out of the International Crane Foundation (located in Wisconsin) that uses humans dressed in crane costumes to teach baby cranes how to survive in the wild.
And, friends! It is so cool! After you watch Marianne do her thing in this little Instagram clip, you may want to read more about the program and what it does here.
And then, well . . . let’s end with some joy.
This is long (18 minutes), and I know you may not have the time in your day to sit and give it a watch. I know I didn’t think that I did. But then . . . I did anyway. And I’m so glad I allowed myself that time. It’s Sandra Oh . . . giving the commencement address at last month’s Dartmouth graduation. It’s not the best commencement speech I’ve ever heard, but it is certainly inspired. And there were a few messages I needed to hear myself (maybe even more than the graduates needed to hear). And . . . there is joy in it. (Sorry but there are also 2 annoying ad breaks in the midst of the video, but you can skip them. Just sayin.)
Anyway. I think it’s worth watching and worth sharing with you today. Even if it is long. Maybe save it for later . . . when you need a boost of joy in your life. (Have a popsicle while you’re at it.) (I’ve been big on popsicles lately. . . )
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And that’ll do it for this week, my friends.
I hope you found some . . . sanctuary . . . here today.
At least for a few minutes.
Enjoy the weekend!
Do the good in front of you.
Even if it’s small.
Thank you for sharing g the quote hankie. I’ve been thin about getting back to stitching quotes on fabrics – it always brings me joy.
I know you probably get just as much joy, if not more, from putting together these posts as we do from reading them, but I will say thank you as always because I so look forward to them. It can be so hard to remember that there are good things happening in the world and that even the small things we can do can help to make a difference.
Thank you and echoing Sarah’s comment. I always look forward to any of your posts Kym, but especially these Sanctuary ones. So nice and peaceful. They make me feel good. Love the hanky quote stitched on and I LOVE the crane story!
Well, I hope sharing all this uplifting and life affirming information has helped pull you out of your mood. It has helped mine a bit, and it has certainly helped me be grateful today – to you! I hope you have a good weekend, Kym.
Sharon Salzberg often has good things to say and practices to recommend. The good in front of me is quite small – peeling cucumbers, sharing salmon, and offering respite to a friend whose mother has entered hospice – but it is still good no matter how small.
I, too, have been In a Mood – but your header pic inspired me to start a pair of custom sneakers I’ve been thinking about trying for more years than I can count! So thank you for that 😊
Another fine Sanctuary entry… great way to close the week & enter the weekend.
The crane one may be silly but how cool and fun was that! I’ve been in a mood, too and this helped.
Perfection… that is what I find here. Thank you so much for these posts Kym. (And the Sandra Oh speech… perfection x 10!)
Those words from Andrea Gibson are so good. and remind me that I have a stash of vintage linen. and should break out my own embroidery skills! (and you need those red sneakers!)
Thank you Kym. Yes, let’s do the good, the small things, that are in front of us. Today I listened to a friend who is going through a rough patch and I made a fresh herbed tomato tart for dinner. I’m going to watch the video another time – maybe one of the hot afternoons coming up this next week.
I watched Sandra Oh’s speech when it was first shared and I thought it was great. Of course, I’m also a huge Grey’s Anatomy fan so there’s that. Did you read her interview in this Sunday’s New York Times? Thanks for the other links, I hope your mood is improving.