How are you, my friend?

I’m thinking of you and popping by with a quick hello.

I hope you are having a good day so far. If you are, please share your joy with someone. 

If you are having a hard time, practice reaching out. Sharing our sorrows or troubles is not a burden on others. People want to be there for us. And sometimes those challenging feelings pass through much more quickly when we speak them in a safe space. 

I’ve been having a rough week. I have been practicing asking for help. It can be REALLY hard to get over the “I don’t wanna bother them” or “I don’t want to drag people down” kind of thoughts. 

But people really WANT to support us. They do. It may not feel carefree. It may not be confetti and clapping — but when we reach out and ask for help it is a way of CONNECTING deeply to others. 

And we all want that, right? Connection is a huge part of being human. 

💥💓💥

So, one of the very interesting things that happened during this hard week was that I had a beautiful dream. (A night-time dream!) 

In the dream, I was at a camping site or festival with people from my spiritual community. (These aren’t people I normally see; we have a virtual Sangha mostly.) I slowly looked around at everyone. I smiled. And then, I quoted one of my favorite quotes, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.:

“And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.”
 

I said to everyone, “this is really nice.” 

💥💓💥

That dream felt very significant to me. You know how I always say, “Celebration can come at any moment, in any circumstance?” 

Well, I’d gone to bed feeling sad and anxious, but celebration had found its way to me in my sleep! 

In my dreams, I was reminded of the deep connection I have to other people who are on the same journey of practicing being here on Earth, experiencing and allowing the whole spectrum of emotions. 

The other significant thing that happened, is that the dream somehow showed me that being able to ask for help and being given listening ears are such big gifts. They are NICE! I have never used that Kurt Vonnegut quote outside of a “happy” moment. 

However, now I see that “happy” can be a synonym for “connected” and I can murmur, even when having a hard time, “If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.” 

💥💓💥

Will you try it over the next day or so? A few ideas of when: 

• You are having dinner with your family.
• You are taking a walk with a friend. 
• You have reached out for help and someone is there, on the other side. 
• Someone has reached out to ask for help and you are able to support them. 
• You are by yourself, looking at a tree or flower and feeling the poignancy of simply being alive, with all it brings. 

Thus, our Celebration Moment today is this: Allow yourself to feel joy or poignancy or connection in the moment. AND, say it out loud. Underline it so your inner self — and others —will notice and feel it, too. 

💥💓💥

I send you love today, my friend. I send you connection and the right dream at the right time to support you on your journey. 

If you are having a hard time, reach out for help. 

If you are energized and feeling good, reach out to someone who needs help! 

We’re all in this together. 

Thanks for who you are and for your beautiful spirit. 

Seek celebration — even in the dark corners,

xo Sherry