Solstice 2023: Practice
My sister often says, "it's all practice." I like this idea. Her words remind me that nothing we do is meant to be perfect. When we view life as practice it means (if I am remembering piano practice accurately) we give ourselves permission to learn, make mistakes, improve if we can, and, in any case, move on. One of my favorite artists has a wonderful print that states simply, "Be gentle with yourself." It is both a simple statement and powerful (perhaps that's why she illustrates it with a tiger?); yet desperately difficult for many of us to really do. During these dark weeks of winter, all I want to do is find light and warmth. In that spirit, maybe this year we could decide that some of the light and warmth we conjure are acts of self-acceptance and self-compassion. Taking stock of the year inevitably happens during this season, and I find it tempting to give myself poor marks for not hitting goals or struggling with decisions, moving slower tha
