a few years ago when I found myself feeling particularly antsy about the absence of international influence on my day-to-day, I enrolled in a french class. my heart soared with joy and trembled a bit with nervousness as I worried about my progress and performance each week. since those days in class, I have kept this language close even if for my own smile inducing knowledge base when I overhear someone speaking it.
sometimes I translate a phrase I have found significance and support within from english to this lovely other language which holds such a captivating tone.
recently, my days have been a bit more mindful, which has enlivened my spirit and brought a bit more peace.
sois doux.
be gentle.
a statement heard so often from a parent to a child as this little one learns how to utilize his or her fine motor skills. we even use a gentle tone to direct them to model care, as we remember that they are little and need to learn how to lovingly attend to other people and things.
these words make sense to me in regard to relationship with others.
with myself?
pas toujours.
not always.
I find myself saying often that I believe we are all little ones on the inside. I believe this statement to be a truth, an encouragement, a connector, a frustration...
mostly as a refreshment.
I wonder what today would be like if we all chose to be a bit more gentle with ourselves,
like we do with little ones without even having to think.
and when we forget to do so, what if we were gentle in our redirection, too?
I read not long ago a quote from my friend, bob, which made an impression.
"whether we want to or not, we memorize what we do repeatedly."
sois doux avec toi-même.
be gentle with yourself.
just a few thoughts I had today as I work to finish up my summer semester of grad school.
two papers left to write and then a month off! huzzah!
a few days at the beach to follow for a bit of a holiday.
the week after, preparations begin to start new work at a job where I get to practice a bit of that french language I love and work to help kids navigate life. I will certainly need to remember to sois doux avec toi-même as I bumble my way through my attempts to use my elementary skills.
kb.
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