How are you holding up? This is the type of thing I am supposed to put “in the chat” or Notes or whatever Substack calls it. But, truth be told, I can only manage so much digital communication and I’d genuinely like to know. So please feel free to vent or share joy or whatever you’d like in the comments, knowing that I will read every comment and hold space for you.
I’ve found the past two weeks in the U.S. to be challenging to say the least. With that in mind, here’s a little poem that spilled out today. Maybe it will inspire something in you? That’s my hope as I share it.
With love,
Andrea
A Dream of Softness
The other night, while watching the news,
I felt my blood pressure rising
My hand gripping the remote
Fear, worry, anger flooding my brain.
And then suddenly, without warning, I was awash in softness
A full body sensation I typically only feel when I’m in nature
or in meditation.
And I thought:
I wish I could create a soft place for the whole world to land
I think this is what the hippies meant when they wished for world peace,
which always felt so airy fairy artsy fartsy to me
But really.
What would it be like if everyone, at the same time,
felt a sensation of inner softness?
All simultaneously laying on a blanket in our favorite meadow with just enough
but not too much
sun on our faces
A loved one’s shoulder touching ours
A dog dozing contentedly next to us
Gazing lazily up at the clouds rolling by
Our breath relaxing in a symphony of softness
Our hypervigilance switched off
No gripping or tensing
No competing or defending
Just a return to primal softness and contentment
Hearts beating,
Breath moving,
Connecting to who and what we love.
And from that place, a deep, unassailable happiness arising.
Softness doesn’t just evoke relaxation, relief, surrender —
although that would certainly be enough.
It allows a return to the present,
and knowing who we are,
which is love,
if we'd only allow it.
This is such a weird wish,
Because most people would find it airy fairy artsy fartsy.
But it’s why I keep meditating.
It’s why I keep turning inward:
Inner softness is so subversive these days,
and we need it now more than ever.
So I do it for myself and
I also do it wishing, hoping
a moment like this will soften a heart that has never been invited to soften before.
Love to have this kind of message/ reflection popped in my mailbox 💕 I avoided watching news so much lately. I’m so scared. Alan brought up this conversation so often, I think I pretended like it’s just another conversation but I know deeply that I’m so scared.
I moved here years ago looking for a good future for my kids. It took my whole life to move here. But wait…In Thailand, same sex marriage is now illegal. We are not allowed to carry gun wherever we are. It’s basically freedom of expression and safety.
But again, I know this is not just US movement but the world’s movement…
I’m holding my breath many times writing this 😣 how can we be soft but strong in this kind of situation?
Thanks Andrea for this reminder and lovely short read, as I’m about to grab my groceries and checked my inbox this morning. I was in so much deep thought about the world and this theme right now. I don’t know if I should avoid the news but find I can’t at this moment to stay aware and informed. Yesterday in Santa Monica I was provoked in a racist like situation for just showing up at a hotel. It shocked me and saddened me to wonder to what are we moving towards, what is happening and how do I stay strong, yet find softness and focus on the kind lovely people that are out there in the world. I question how do I navigate through this right now how do I want to raise my kids in this world. ❤️