It is a quiet silent moment that I have grabbed, like a three year old reaching up, as high as his tippy toes will lift him, to snag the red and white candy cane on the tree. Delighted. In my living room, mid afternoon, next to my woodstove, Mosey sprawled out, passed out directly in front of the warmest place in my home. Our perfect (seriously!) tree from Kolarik’s Tree farm placed between Wyn’s lego cupboard and our out-of-tune Baldwin piano…in front of the windows so “People can see the tree and lights as they drive by…” says my 10 year old. A piping hot cup of Light of Day’s Earl Grey with a touch of almond milk (try this drink! Unbelievable!) helps to elegantly finish this cozy scene. Ahhhhh.
Now, I could have started this blog with how the morning began 9 hours ago with the silhouette leaning over me at 4am. Strangely enough, I thought it was my son, whose frame is significantly smaller than that of my daughter. But alas, after a few moments of me calling her her brother, she begged the morning confusion out of me and I recognized her…and her pleas for me to help her with her sore throat. She crawled in and we got her some tylenol and dabbed some eucalyptus behind her ears to help ease her pain. A bit later that son of mine I thought her to be, was now asking me, in between gunky coughs, to scoot over so he could climb in. Squashed between these two boom-booms, I attempted to return to sleep. Choice word attempted:) But I know these days are numbered…where my babies will still snuggle in and I am right here to comfort them. I could have also mentioned in the start of this blog that they both weren’t feeling well enough because of colds and lack of sleep to rise at 7am and spring for the start of new week. Next, we read in bed for a bit, they got ready, slowly for school while I had a conference call. Fed the dog, got firewood for fire, turned out the lights, grabbed the lunches, packed up paperwork for the day, called chiropractor, texted with Jessica, Matt, and Craig, dropped Olive off at school so she wouldn’t miss math class (true that Mrs. Kirt!), ran Wyn to see Dr.Marie and Dr.Cassey to get adjusted, stopped in to Cafe to ask Chef John to make Wyn a gluten free quesadilla, saw Eric, saw Brian, finished register and picked up back bank to get change, went to post office, saw Chris, drove to bank, ran into Channing, had Wyn help me count deposit, dropped off change to cafe, then drove to Leland school to drop him off at class. And as I write all this, it isn’t a terrible way to start the blog, nor the day. But that is because I can flip it.
“Flip it”. The Sarah Felicity Landry Ryder dictionary states: [flip] ‘To flip it’: to toss or put in motion with a sudden impulse as with a snap of a finger or thumb. And this has been my practice. Flip it. The more I practice the better I get…as with most things. 4am, I am tired, sick kids, work early, to do list longer than Santa’s whose been naughty or nice list, squashed in bed. Flip it! Got a solid 5 hours before sick kids come to bed, get to snuggle with the most important humans on earth, get to comfort them with oils and pain relievers and hugs, get to rearrange day to accommodate their needs, still get to bang things off the list. Just like the snap of my fingers, I choose to flip it. Granted, there are times when I need to fake it to make it. No doubt. And yes, the PollyAnna in me regularly shows her cheerful face…because it just feels better. But the more I practice, the easier it is to just trust that God*Universe*Energy*Dharma*Hygge*Creative Essense, whatever the word assigned to the belief, to the faith, will guide me. This is certainly scary at times, to just trust…especially for this planning-virgo here. But the more I practice letting go, the more fulfilled and cradled I feel. I have also found that the more I expand and allow, the more connected to my body I am…which easily encourages me to make better decisions in holding my Self sacred. It all just kinda falls in line. And, it is contagious. I then find myself around others who are doing the same, which helps me continue the practice.
A trick to all this seems to also be, to let myself go to whatever space I need to be in to be able to live where I feel the most full. So. I worry sometimes. About how to keep this business going…and more importantly growing. About how to get these possible accounts to bite and start ordering. About how to maintain relationships with stores to stay in touch with our products, customers and the impact we have in the world. About how to make through another winter, when sales are scarce. About how to accomplish all we at The Redheads have set out to do and put so much energy towards. And these worries can be very heavy at times. These worries can leave me paralyzed at times. They can make me question everything. They can make me angry. They can make me scared, and sad. So be it. I sit in it. Granted, as I practice the flip, I sit in it for less time and less often, but I do go there. I have found that when I do, I then can see what harm can come from my worst fears. What is most important? I go back to basics and remember what is truly important. And then it isn’t so scary. And usually this is when it all plays out…for the best…with out me controlling the outcome. It is freeing and I feel like my best self, which is what I believe I am here to learn how to do. Be my best self.
There you have it. My sharing for the day. In this sweet quiet, cozy moment, I rejoice in the snowflakes gently falling. As the longest day of the year approaches, I am grateful for the light and the dark. I smile at the individual memories that each one of these ornaments on this tree hold. I close my eyes and type while a blast of sunshine briskly fills my living room and then is gone. I am left with the thought that this time I have had here the last four decades has gone fast and that there are no guarantees…really about anything. So I rejoice! I sit in it! I flip it! I let go! And I say thank you. I have felt your support, as I know you can feel mine. And in my mind’s (third:) eye, we are all connected and I believe we can flip it together…just like that!
Blessed be. May your joy in this holiday season be met with clean, healthy food, sweet faces, and true connection to all you hold dear.
From my family to yours~
Sarah Felicity
PS..check out our Holiday hours on our facebook page (please like me already!) or on our new website http://www.redheadsinc.com where you can also send that holiday gift box you have been meaning to pick out! LOVE