Nasty weather
I’ve been a long standing believer in “there is no bad weather, just bad outerwear…” But this belief is wind battered lately, literally and metaphorically.
Close people in my life are walking through stormy weather. Mean, icy rain that hits you in the face kind of weather. Walking in it is uncomfortable, hard to see, and it doesn’t matter if your hooded jacket, pants, and boots are waterproof because it’s nasty.
Pain is painful. Unfair circumstances are real. There is bad weather.
Acknowledging difficulties for what they are - real, painful, unfair or outside our control - is part of Movement, Authenticity, and Presence (MAP). Acknowledgment is being authentically present in the experience. It may feel counterintuitive to be fully present in the discomfort and the grips of its impact. However, validating challenges equips us to better understand ourselves in relation to the circumstances and makes movement through it possible.
Self-judgment is a road block on our MAP and impacts how stuck we feel in difficult times.
Movement can begin when we let go of the brave face. Our fear and helplessness shift when we give space for the normal thoughts and feelings that surface with “bad weather.” This time also allows us to unapologetically reach out for support and find our true inner strength. Doing so is not admitting weakness but an act of courage. This internal and external support then empowers us to make intentional, potentially more effective choices to move through life’s difficulties.
I hope this weekend brings you respite. Keep the outerwear in the closet and simply hunker into yourself if it feels necessary and loving. Find some PLAY. The storm might not pass soon, but perhaps you’ll have a new perspective of it from the inside.
Sharing my umbrella with you,
Heidi
Photo credit Howard Vrankin
PS: I have an obsession with soups. Here’s a recipe of a current favorite that is good for gray days.
White Bean Chicken Chili (from my friend, Paula)
(T=tablespoon, t=teaspoon)
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ cup margarine or butter
4 cups cooked chicken cut into ½ inch cubes
3 cups water
1 T chopped fresh or 1 t dried basil leaves
3 t chicken bouillon granules
2 t ground red chiles
¼ t ground cloves
2 cans (16 ounces each) Great Northern beans, undrained
1 medium tomato or cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
Corn tortilla chips
Cook onion and garlic in butter/margarine in 4-quart Dutch oven until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken, water, basil, bouillon, chiles, cloves and beans. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Garnish with tomato and cilantro and serve with tortilla chips. Makes 6 servings.
