Outgrown
Time to Re-Size (Our Minds and Hearts)
While the temperatures soar this week, our gang is finally putting those heavy sweaters and jackets away for the season. In our growing grandboys’ case, it’s also time to consider buying bigger-size summer duds. Now that Sheridan and Ya-Jhu are expecting a third baby boy, it’s likely that at least some of the outgrown clothes will be kept for future use.
As for Aiden and Peter’s Nana, the past few years have been frustrating indeed. The psych meds I take daily for bipolar disorder, have decided to completely reverse their side effects (at first, I rapidly shed 35 lbs. Then I suddenly regained that 35 plus a good bit more). So I too have been buying larger sizes—though I am not yet releasing ALL of my size 00s from my closet, because hope springs eternal).
Our bodies aren’t the only things that can grow, of course. A healthy diet of reading widely, thinking deeply, and conversing with others, can cause the mind to keep growing. And of course, loving is remarkably effective at increasing heart size. Take it from the Grinch:
There are, additionally, other things in our lives that we can outgrow. Interests, for example. Marriages, sometimes. Jobs too. I’ve been enjoying the recent series on friendship in The New York Times “Well” section. Here’s their interesting piece on “repotting” a friendship…
MUSIC: ADDING MORE LEAVES TO THE DINING TABLE
A memorable line from Auntie Mame (and if you haven’t read the original Patrick Dennis book you’re missing out!): “Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death.” Music is a very important part of life’s banquet offerings to me, but for the longest time I “hated” country music, hip-hop, most pop, and so on. To me, this snobbery burnished my elevated bonafides as a true classical/jazz buff. Well, guess what? In recent years I’ve expanded my musical horizons and now try to listen to, and appreciate, just about all genres. More leaves in my table, more folks to pull up their chairs and share a tuneful “meal!”
As a member of the Rehoboth Beach (DE) Writers Guild, I frequently read at their events. They have a terrific format: after every three readers, their resident musicians play and sing a song related to the event’s theme. Stuart Vining is genius at finding the perfect tunes, and he’s really helped me grow my musical tastes. Here’s a country song performed last week, which I love!
Some bands just make me feel happy. Guster is one of them. Julie, Gil, Rose and Amrit recently went to a Guster concert, and it made them happy too!
Never quite “got” barbershop music. I mean, the singers are undeniably talented—the songs themselves—not so much. But there are some really good (and funny) performances out there. Having just returned from the UK, where we visited, not Stonehenge, but neighboring Avebury henge, I enjoyed this clever little number about some really big rocks…
BLOG PREVIEW: SHADOWLOSS
Growth can also, poignantly, involve loss. How can we recognize and honor the losses we experience that do not involve actual physical death? Check out this week’s Working Title and explore with me…
INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Another gem of a quote from the writer and artist Suleika Jaouad. Her wholehearted embrace of living is truly remarkable, given her serious and ongoing health challenges. I “wonder” if I/we tried to wake up like a newborn tomorrow. It might make me/us happier and more hopeful? Have a “wonder”ful week, friends!