Drop Kick

Pearl of the Day: Refresh & renew

As this year draws to a close I recall the wise words of Whalt Whitman “Re-examine all that you have been told… dismiss that which insults your soul.”

We hold onto so much that if we just let go of we’d be much lighter and consequently happier. Usually, when kids argue and place demands in a few minutes and with an explanation and some reassurance they are over it and move on. We as adults harbor grudges like a coveted plate of brownies.

Yet some habits are hard to let go. My family recently had a movie night which featured “UP” and boy that old man had such a hard time letting go of a lifetime of memories shared with his wife and partner in crime who had passed away yet still filled his aging house and heart despite the fact that the earth around him was literally remodeling by way of skyscrapers that he launched his house with thousands of balloons and took off towards her one unfulfilled dream.

I love this image and rarely travel light. We love one part of our lives so much that we’ll do anything to keep and maintain it as we are shifting towards the next. Yet it is nearly impossible to make way for the new possibilities without first shedding the old. You can still carry all the warm feelings with you but let the house go. My friend is helping me shed this year by digging into my closet of unworn and unused items and finally either selling, re-gifting or donating them. It has been such a good exercise for me.

While some other habits are keepers, like kids who are nose pickers, well that’s an oldie but a goodie! Although there are ways to address it so it’s not so gross, like, wash those hands after picking and find a tissue instead of your mouth. My son loves to both pick and eat his. The picking part I get but the eating, ewwwwh, that’s just got to stop. So one day I was watching him really go for one, I mean he was working at it and when he got it, and it was a goodie, he was so proud that when he showed it to me but I swiped it with a tissue as it was making its way towards his mouth and man, he went nuts! Booger, interrupted.

So as this year closes I am doing a cleansing ritual which has an easy to follow recipe. Meditate and recall the good and the bad from your year. To represent the bad buy a lemon for lemons are earth’s natural sanitizers. I bought a nice bunch of lemons this year. Roll that lemon on the counter to really get its juices going. Then squeeze that lemon into lemonade and add your favorite sweetner (e.g. sugar, honey), ginger to soothe and enhance circulation, a sprig of mint to refresh the spirit and if you feel feisty, a splash of vodka (cheers grandpa!).

All to refresh and renew your body. For your spirit remember Rumi and let your divine passion triumph and rebirth in yourself. Have a great new year!

Copyright © 2009 Cynthia Litman d/b/a Tigris Imprints. All Rights Reserved.