Tuesday, June 4, 2013

A Little Grace Necklace


Yesterday evening there was a bit of upset in the tone of a voicemail from a friend.
We were trying to make plans for a short visit as she drove north
and we'd been texting and voicemailing with no direct contact.
I had set my phone aside for the better part of a full day.
Surely she was frustrated.

Up until that moment I had felt 
like the captain of my hours, like a success...
the grocery store
the wrestle to establish napping
some administrative duties once the nap happened
cleaning
cooking
running this house, this business and this life with my head on straight.

But
as soon as I detected that subtle shift
and found that I had let someone down by not being timely
I felt wobbly on my legs
and pissed.

PISSED.


Not at my dearest friend
not at my fussy child with the four molars burrowing through his gums
but at the fact that I dropped a plate somewhere amongst the thirteen spinning simultaneously.

I called my girlfriend and ungently listed all of the things I am trying to do at once and
without taking a breath I cried,
"I just need grace! Just give me grace!!"

She did.
She was amazing as she always is, a true lifer.
The phone call was brief and established everything we needed to know for the following day.

The truest grace, though, is something I needed to grant myself
for having thirteen spinning plates and only dropping one.

The truest grace I could give myself is the permission to know that no matter how many I drop or how often it happens I am still whole and loved

To be gentle
and honest 
and to do my best
in each moment
with trust and love

filling my own well (like the oxygen mask on a plane) so that I might give generously
of my time
and care
.
.
.

I made this necklace as a token for that moment when you find you need a reminder to 
be gentle and graceful with your own sweet self.

The petal is one from a few flowers I plucked on a walk not too long ago
on a day when I was practicing moving meditation and self-care
with healthy gusto.


You can find it


I offer it up with a toast:

here's to our health
to our faith
and our goodness...

may they all be strong and steady.

xoxo,
Sunny




10 comments:

Vibeke said...

Beautiful piece from a beautiful woman. Grace...oh i am going to try to give myself that today...

xx

pencilfox said...

grace be with you, you dear sweet woman.
none of us are perfect.
sometimes we are hardest on ourselves.
be good to YOU.

xoxo

Allisunny S. said...

V - I hope you do and thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to write here. xoxox

Foxy: some days that seems to be easier to do than others, you know?!! :)xo

Cat said...

beautiful heart
beautiful soul
beautiful words
beautiful mama

grace indeed♥

we all need it

love you beautiful lady
love and light

Allisunny S. said...

Ooooooh I love you, Cat. Xo

Hollie said...

Beautifully said. We need to learn to be gentler and allow ourselves grace. I am still learning and have a feeling I always will be....

Lori ann said...

that's such a beautiful necklace and reminder with a lovely word attached, grace ...
i'm visiting here from lovely v :)

Vibeke said...

i just had to put a link at my blog to this post of your, hope you don't mind allison...if you do let me know!

xxo

Allisunny S. said...

V,

To say I am honored is an understatement:) Thank you, sweet woman. xxoxoxox

Vibeke said...

oh that was good to hear,
i usually ask first but i completely forgot : )

something from my corner of the world is flying your way in the "air" these days, oh how i LOVE air mail. i am not a very patient person (ok, on some areas i can be) but i love the slowness of air mail..i find the waiting part as exciting....when i am waiting for something that i know is coming my way i get butterflies everytime i open the letterbox..childich i know...ha-ha..
i am a women of simple pleasures, it is very easy to make me happy. today i got a visit on my veranda by a tiny orange and brown butterfly..blissful : )

xx