Happy Monday.
How are you?
I’m doing really well. I spent most of the weekend outside which is so good for my soul. Besides the fresh and air vitamin D, the best part about being outdoors is the inspiration I gather from nature.
I was at a friend’s house for a party and noticed his azalea bushes were in full bloom. I walked into the backyard and said, “How about those azaleas!?,” basically to anyone who would listen. Fortunately, my proclamation fell on interested ears and I found a fellow green thumb to admire them with me. It was a lovely way to spend some time.
So how about those azaleas?
I turned to the internet, I found this quote from the New York Botanical Garden:
“Planted in full sun, azaleas will be more compact and floriferous. When planted in part shade, they will stretch toward the sunlight and form a more graceful habit; flowers will not be as plentiful but will last longer.”
Graceful habit. Wow, I think the azalea is my new unsung hero.
I’ve been dedicating more time this Spring to my own graceful habits — nurturing opportunities to take pause and reflect – focusing deeply on all the abundance around me. The trouble is sometimes that abundance doesn’t appear all that grand or floriferous. And while caught up in the constant motion of life, it can be easy to overlook the little things. That’s why tender moments of mindfulness are so essential. It is in these moments that we notice the simple joys. Sometimes the simple things are the most precious.
A hug from your favorite person. A kite flying high against the wind. The song of a morning dove.
Joy doesn’t always have to be a grand bouquet. It can be in the first bud on a branch reaching high toward the sky, or a dandelion standing tall in the grass of a perfectly manicured lawn. These are the moments that will create a more lasting sense of joy in our hearts. And they are always all around us.
Will you cultivate the graceful habit to stop and take notice?
In case you need some guidance, here’s last week’s guided meditation for you to enjoy.
I hope you have a beautiful week and find all the joy and abundance you can carry. Don’t worry, your heart can handle it.
Much love.
Bye for now!