“We were made to enjoy music, to enjoy beautiful sunsets, to enjoy looking at the billows of the sea and to be thrilled with a rose that is bedecked with dew… Human beings are actually created for the transcendent, for the sublime, for the beautiful, for the truthful... and all of us are given the task of trying to make this world a little more hospitable to these beautiful things.”

― Desmond Tutu

In my last newsletter, I shared a story about a new client, and our quest to answer the question: "What brings you joy?" Little did I know that this simple question would spark a series of delightful conversations throughout the week.

As I explored the idea of joy with clients and followers alike, we found ourselves diving deeper into the concept of joy, leading to many more questions to explore. What is joy? How do we find joy? How do we create more joy? More specifically, what does it mean to experience joy? Is it a fleeting moment of pleasure, or is it...

This week, I want to share one of my favorite poems with you. A poem that every time I read it reminds me of my place “in the family things.” 

Read it slowly and let the words sink in. 

From the words of the great poet: Mary Oliver

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things

Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.

-Mark Twain

As a movement specialist, I always begin my work with new clients by asking them two crucial questions: "What physical activities do you enjoy doing?" and "What brings you happiness in your day-to-day life?" These questions help me understand their interests and personal goals, which in turn allows me to create a wellness plan that's tailored to their unique needs.

During a recent session with a new client, I noticed that she had left these questions blank on her intake form. I paused and looked up at her, then asked, "I noticed that you didn't answer the questions about joy. What brings you joy?" She met my gaze and replied, "Right now, I can't think of anything that I enjoy."

I could tell that my client was feeling lost and unmotivated, so I took a moment to sit with her and talk. I asked her if she could recall a time when she was doing something that brought her joy, a moment when she felt...

“Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed.” - Mary Oliver

Wherever you find the sacred: those moments where you are brought to your knees in awe of this life, your life. Sometimes this happens during grief, or birth, death, or when we fall in love. And sometimes it will just surprise you. 

You could be standing at the corner of a crosswalk and notice that everything somehow is connected. You are a part of it all. As you stand there, you also realize how fleeting it all is. 

These are the moments where you may sense there is something bigger at play—something divine in nature—and that this life is indeed a gift.

When have you been brought to your knees in awe of this life?