Ponderings to Keep
The warmth spreads from fingertips to palm
as I coddle the delicate teacup.
Wafts of steam stream into the air.
Aromas of cinnamon, cardamom and pepper inhaled bring soothingness.
I tip the cup.
Sip. Warmth fills my mouth.
My tastebuds catch the spices and dance through the swallow.
Comforting heat cascades down my throat eroding stress with its calming flow.
Such liquid lovliness- carrier of comfort.
Red skin speckled with green
reflects the light
as my hand
curves around the apple.
I raise it towards my lips.
Open my mouth.
My top teeth break through the skin first-
CRUNCH.
My bottom teeth follow.
They slide together through the pulp
pulling it from the core.
Sweet juice dribbles
over my tongue
as my jaw releases it
with each chew.
A swallow of crisp, fall freshness.
It is my favorite season in Upstate New York- Fall. With that, comes the abundance of apples just picked from the tree. This is one of the pure pleasures of this season. I decided to take a moment and be truly mindful while delighting in an apple I just picked.
My phone hums…
I reach out-
flip it over
my heart soars!
A video call from my daughter,
I tap the green button
and her face fills the screen.
A smile spreads through my whole body.
We banter back and forth
about classes, soccer, friends-
passing love through the distance.
Each minute fills this mama’s heart.
Too quickly the call ends.
The screen goes black,
my smile fades.
I wonder how long it will be until my phone sings out her ringtone again.
My daughter returned to college about a week ago. I am adjusting to her being away. I miss the liveliness she filled our house with. I am so glad that she has the opportunity to be on campus this year and have a true college experience but my mama’s heart is a bit sad.
So this post was me being mindful from the beginning of an unexpected call from her through to the very end. I reflected on the change in my feelings as the call begin to after its end. I want to remember the joy that filled my heart so I can cherish that as I adapt to her being many miles away.
I see you lying there.
Your words call to me
but
you have no voice.
My mind begins to spin
with curiosity, predictions, wonderings-
a desire to dive back into your world.
My brain battles responsibility vs. escape.
I grab you and flip open to the bookmark.
I settle into my chair and your words fill my mind’s eye.
Your voiceless call is triumphant again.
Reading is one of my favorite things in life. Once I get absorbed into a book, I really can’t stop. So I decided to be mindful in the moment before I pick up a book to begin reading. This noticing let the above words flow off of my pen.
The fan whirs…
The sound grows as it’s head turns towards me.
When it is looking directly at me, the cool moving air makes my hair waver up and down.
As it rotates back, a larger gust graces my face making all of my skin cooler for just a moment.
The rushing air lessens,
The sound diminishes
as I await the next turn in my direction.
Feeling the thickness as a bit of warmth graces my fingertips,
Raising it to my open mouth, my teeth pushing through a firm outer layer to a soft, warm chewiness
As my jaw moves up and down, a sugary sweetness meets my tastebuds.
The next bite encompasses an oozing chocolate chunk that melts into my mouth- oh what smooth milk chocolate.
Bite after bite of a tasty delight-
Until the last chunk disappears into my mouth with a final sugary swallow.
Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies are a delectable treat.
I was pumped to head off to beach yoga this morning and enjoy the sunshine before the predicted rain arrived at noon. I wanted to soak up the sun while I could.
Class started at 9:30 and I arrived a bit later than I expected-9:29! I hustled from the parking lot to the sand. When I got there, I saw… no one! No class with yoga mats unrolled on the beach. I scanned left and right but the beach was truly empty.
Then I noticed one woman on the stairs with a yoga mat. I went over and asked if she was here for the class. She was and we decided to wait a few more minutes.
After a bit, no one else was there so we decided to do yoga together using my yoga app. We rolled out our mats and began our practice watching sailboats gliding across the water. We went through the poses together and the peace fell over us during savasana.
Walking back to my car, I reflected on my reaction to the unexpected change of the morning. I was proud of myself. I had not gotten upset or mad about the teacher not showing up. I didn’t cry, walk away or say unkind things in frustration. I took a breath and thought about how could I still make this a positive morning. I was ableto enjoy the beach and sun anyways. This is something I have been working on over the past few years and I finally seemed to have made progress. A positive morning for sure!
Pocketful of Prose 