I need time to reflect after things occur in my life, and the month of April left me with much to reflect on. I was beginning to feel restless by the end of the gift giving, on Saturday I attempted to ground and reflect with no luck, same on Sunday and Monday. Today I awoke with two choices go see my teacher or go chill with Mother Nature....I chose Mother Nature!
It's so beautiful out today and I'm a lover of nature, so I awoke around 6:30 made some tea out of raw honey and fresh lemons ( this helps my allergies ), preparing my mind, body and sprit for the long bike ride I planned to take. When I lived back east this allergy season would have had me down for the count, I never used natural remedies back then, I always reached for prescribed medications and walked around drowsy, with a stuffy nose and puffy, watery eyes. Since I gave up all those allergy meds and treat self naturally, my allergies have never been a problem here in Chicago. After my tea I moved through my yoga practice, again with the awarness of my bike ride, and I was feeling good! I headed out around 8:45 am.
As I peddled towards the lake I became very aware of all the people heading into work, the hustle and bustle of downtown Chicago during the work week can leave you drained even before you reach your destination....I detached....Instead I began to take notice on how many bikers were out and wondered where they were headed....were they free like me and off to do something really cool, or were they going down to chill with Mother Nature like me? I decided to ask, I was riding aside this guy and we approached a stop light just before the Art museum, we give the usual smile and hi to each other, then I add it's a nice day to ride, huh? He agrees, I then say and the best part is I'm not headed to work! "wow, out pretty early for no work" Yea, I smile and say, it feels good, I need to spend sometime with Mother Nature and get a good bike ride in. The light changes and we wish each other good day's and I'm off.
I've decided to do 15 miles, that's half of Bike The Drive, the wind is coming from the south so I head south on the Lake, towards the Museum Of Science and Industry, I like to get the wind out the way first.....Ahhhhh.....I love being out this early on the lake, me a small group of runners, walkers, roller bladders and other bikers. Not crowed at all, as I suck in the wind I’m feeling like a bit overwhelmed, that wind was a kicker but I refused to change the gears on my bike, I peddled on. I became one with the wind, the sound of the birds took over and the "good morning" shared with folks that I passed, allowed my attachment to the city behind me melt away from my mind, body, and soul.
I began my 29 Day gift giving challenge April 1st, and as the end of the month came near I realized that my gift giving will never end.....I really enjoyed the awarness and authenticity that I learned about myself, I also loved the reactions from the people I gave to.....Many were complete strangers, others were new blessings in my life and a couple of people I knew well. A few gifts that stand out…
4/10/2010: RED VELVET CUPCAKES
The night before I made red velvet cup cakes for my little sib (mentee) Naya. We were having a gathering today a thank you brunch the youth center (Horizon for Youth ) would hold for all the volunteers. I wanted to say thank you to Naya for allowing me to be her big sib (mentor). Her face lit up so bright when I handed her the huge cupcakes with way to much homemade cream cheese frosting, “can I eat them now “ she would ask, even though I wanted to say yes, I said no wait until you get home. “but these are my favorite!” she exclaimed, and they will still be your favorite later I say laughing. I love to cook and to watch her expression from something given from the heart with love was nice.
4/11/2010: COFFEE
Sunday’s are my only complete day’s off. I made this decision just about two years ago as I began to burn out from teaching so many classes. What many fail to realize is teaching yoga and wellness is very strenuous on the entire self, mind, body and spirit. So I began to cut back on classes and took Sunday as my day, to spend alone, with others, what ever my heart desires, anything but work. I head to my neighborhood coffee/tea spot where I usually go to get writing and reading done, as I stand in line waiting to place my order a college student walks up behind me, he’s chatting with a friend…I turn to him and ask what are you having today, “large coffee” he responds, I tell him I’d like to buy it for him….This kid acted as if he had won the lotto…”really, wow,” he said, then he turns to his friend “dude, she’s buying my coffee” “ thanks mam” “wow really, thanks mam” your welcome I say, but please stop with “mam” we all laugh…..”sorry, you have know idea how broke I am”, he says….we laugh some more ….my pleasure I respond.
4/26/2010: Nursing Care
About six months ago I ran into my neighbors, a lovely couple who were expecting there first child, as time went on and we began to chat more they soon found out I was a pediatric nurse as well as a yoga teacher. They would say “it’s nice to know we have a nurse next door” anytime you need anything or have any questions just let me know I would offer. I arrived home from teaching my morning classes today, and as I made my way towards my apartment there was this much older woman walking in the same direction as I…..My neighbor is coming out of her unit and as we meet each other, she say’s “oh, mom, this is Toni” “ohhh, I’ve heard all about you” her mother would say with a big smile and heavy ( Italian, I think ) accent, “you’re the nurse” I smile, yes, that’s me…..They’re heading out to the OB doctor, my neighbor appears a little nervous, I ask if all is well. She fills me in on what’s going on ( I will not disclose as it’s patient confidentiality ) I answer her questions and calm her fears, her mom is so grateful she grabs my hand and say’s “thank you, thank you” “oh it’s nice to have you next door” she added. I offer my neighbor and her mom my nursing services if needed when the baby is home and if she needs anything. They thank me again, and we part ways as I say a little prayer for them to myself.
I’m lying here at the lake on a bench, reflecting on my month of giving….eye’s closed, book opened, sun shining down on me and a smile in my heart as well as on my face…I hear the birds singing, walkers chatting and a bikes whizzing bye, I open my eye’s occasionally to check my surroundings…..Ahhhh, as I close them again……the majority of my gifts involved little to no money, I really and truly gave from the heart and from a place of authenticity and creativity, and as I laid on that bench reflecting, I knew that this gift giving would be forever with me…..it has always been with me, I just was detached from self and others to stop and realize the smallest and largest things we do are acts of giving….Every gift I gave would have been given by me if I taken on this challenge or not, but the awarness would have been lost with many of them.
By now I’m in a light and airy mental state of mind, I don’t want to get up but I know I must, ten more minutes, I say…..just ten more minutes…….I move slowly when it’s time to head back, from lying down to sitting, I begin to people watch, I notice the same guy has walked around at least ten times, now a friend has joined him and their in deep conversation. I watch a woman spend time in the grass with her newborn baby, cooing and kissing all over him. I listen to a man about my age talk to someone on his phone about his upcoming move and wedding, he sounds so happy…..these things make me smile. I pack my bag, put my shoes on, helmet on and hop back on my bike, ready to complete my second half of Bike The Drive miles heading back into the busy city that seemed so far away…..Feeling lighter and at peace, mind, body and soul.
Exiting the lake back into the hustle and bustle of the morning workers I passed a few hours ago with tired looks on their faces, are now out and about with smiling faces looking for places to have lunch, it’s nice but there is no peace, so I hold on tight to what Mother Nature and I just shared down at the lake as a peddle into the craziness that is city life ….
I love nature, being out doors, laying in grass, bare feet, water, sun, blowing wind, rain, snow, smells of the city, people watching, dozing…I absolutely love it!
Peace & Nature
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