Taking Care

Being sick, which I seem to be sometimes, is often a pain in the ass and yet it's also a blessing. It's a chance to reform, renew and reinvigorate a life. I've noticed in these past few homebound days that I've strung myself along the emotional pull - from annoyance and regret to joy and hope - just to find that I am, once again, emerging a little bit stronger and hope-filled. I had been chained to a box of tissues while reading Newsweek and the lyrics of Leonard Cohen when Karen Maezen Miller's "Hand Wash Cold" arrived at a most serendipitous moment. It's a Zen-infused instruction manual (and autobiography) about enjoying the wash, the chores, the moment.

Thank you Momma Zen because today, as I am recovering, I am grateful for the chance to be home these past few days. To have gently made simple, nourishing meals for my sick family, to have had the luxury of sleep and hugs and herbal baths, and to have relished this beautiful book...