Finding the Light

This is an excerpt from the weekly News-Loveletter. If you would like it sent to your inbox directly (with all the other juicy bits, including a mini joy practice), you can add yourself to my mailing list here.

The days grow longer, and the sun raises its arc across the sky. Its light falls diagonally through my living room window. Miru finds its path and rests in the shape of that lemony spill, harvesting every ray. Today, he asks to be outside. He’d prefer to bask on our sunny porch, to tend to the neighborhood children in their games, to help the arborists slowly dismantle the Plane tree.

Not on my watch. I know my Little Orange Curiosity. This last option will not be on the table today. Our front door remains closed, even when he rings the bell. He wonders if my ears are broken, if my love has lapsed. Then he looks at me and knows neither are true. He does not understand my logic, but he settles himself in a band of light to wait this out.

There is a quality of trust born of Miru and I being there for one another, over and over. We rest in each other’s care. We nurture acceptance for those signature parts of each other that leave us wondering about the logic. I know Miru well enough to understand that he is not daunted by the sounds of heavy machinery. He will happily supervise activities at the worksite. He knows me well enough to understand that I will give him medicine when he’s unwell. He has gratefully attributed many a recovery to this. He has grown to accept the ways I limit him on occasion, because he has faith in my goodwill.

The light of goodwill is one I’m always making my way into. No logic or communication will soothe the soul like a mutual sense of shared warmth. And consciously choosing a path of goodwill, like consciously choosing authentic words, comes with practice. I’ll rest in that light as long as I‘m able.

I hope you will consider joining us for the free Compassionate Communication (a.k.a. Nonviolent Communication) with Joy workshop coming up soon. Goodwill is a component that I bring to Nonviolent Communication (NVC) which plays a crucial role in connection. I’d love to show you how it works.