Looking up and down
I grew up in Texas near an amusement park called Six Flags Over Texas. The most thrilling part of any visit was a ride on the rickety Runaway Mine Train, which had been throwing hearts and guts for loops since the mid-60s. It was one of those old-school rollercoasters that scared you as much with its shrieking brakes and jarring stops as it did with the scale of its highs and lows. At the peaks, I inevitably looked down, knowing that my stomach was about to drop. And in the valleys, I looked up, knowing we were on the verge of another twist. It was often scary but never boring.
I’m reminded of those topsy-turvy feelings as I notice all of the moments that our community has collectively looked up and down this week. We looked down into the earth to bury a sweet and bright young girl who was all dolled up in her sparkly crown and princess dress.
We looked up at the sky to watch the shadowy moon eclipse the bright sun.
We stopped mid-run to marvel as the ostentatious magnolia blooms seemed to explode onto branches that we weren’t even sure were still alive.
I no longer know how to answer the question, “How are you?” Fine is definitely not true. Awesome and awful are both true sometimes. We’ve been offered congratulations and condolences in equal measure for the past two weeks.
So, we’re going on the ride. I’m holding that both time and intensity will pass. I’m holding that everything has a season.
Look to the right of that bright pink Magnolia above. Did you happen to notice her neighbor? She doesn’t look like much today, but when that Sugar Maple explodes in November, you’ll probably want to pause to marvel at her vibrant, fruity pebble leaves. Today, though, she’s quietly busy, fueling up and preparing for her big moment.
Mindful Monday Journal Prompt
What season are you in right now?
Are you like the Sugar Maple, quietly nourishing your roots, getting ready to let your brightness emerge?
Are you more like the Magnolia, in full blossom?
Or maybe, like me, you’re walking back and forth between them, looking up and down, marveling that this life holds all of it at once.
Take a few deep cleansing breaths today. Notice what comes up for you as you sit with these questions. What do they tell you about what you most need right now?
Thanks for being here. I’m so grateful that we are walking this path together.
Rising Higher, Together
This May 17, we will host our first-ever LIVE Uplifters gathering. We still have a few tickets left, so I hope you’ll join me and our guests from the first year of The Uplifters Podcast for a day of collaboration and creative growth in NYC on May 17.
Check out the agenda and get info on tickets HERE.
Your Next Uplifter
Our next episode is headed your way this Thursday. Get ready to meet the deeply wise, courageous, and inspiring Janelle Hill.
Paid Subscriber Bonuses You’ll Find in Today’s Newsletter
✨ You can listen to every episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or wherever you get your podcasts. For those of you who are more visual or who want to take a deeper dive with our guests, you’ll find the extended-cut video of my conversation with Kathrine Switzer from last week’s episode.
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