Normalcy… it includes the beauty and simplicity of each day. The blunders, the wonders, often the wonder of the blunders. It was brought to my attention through an analysis this week, that experiments are crucial to living a full life.

Being parents, if we are honest, is the ultimate experiment.

Sometimes you can get a panoramic view, sometimes you’re in it so thick with emotions you can’t see past the moment. You try something… sometimes it works as expected, sometimes it is an epic fail, and the rest of the time the hypothesis is neither proven correct nor incorrect.

Today we received an unexpected snow. Everyone bundles up, and heads to the closest, steepest sledding hill @ 730 am. It’s only the 3rd snow of the winter season so the stoke is high. We run through all the possible scenarios on the way there to not set unreasonable expectations. “The snow could be sticky”, “there may not be enough snow”, “we have to be aware enough to not fly out into the road”, and “things just may go differently than we thought”. We decide, even knowing these possibilities, it’s still worth the schlep. Mantra: We are scientists, exploring the world through experiments.

I love this photo. Early morning sun over a sleepy neighborhood. A kid about to power down the hill for first run… except, that’s not what happened. Between the depth and stickiness of the snow, it was a recipe for meltdown. We were very disappointed scientists. The dog pulling me one direction, one kiddo in tears and the other skidding his way down the hill on his bottom. The recovery was completed with hugs, presence, and a round of deep breaths. I took a few extra deep breaths, realizing I am still healing and sitting with the fact that’s going to take some more time. We were a hot mess, but our own unique-neighborhood-alarm-clock-scientific-hot-mess. I realize, I still love this photo.

I have grown to love trying new recipes… this weekend, crackers. No sugar added, no gluten… but also apparently they burn-so-bad-you-have-to-air-out-your-whole-house-cracker. Another less than ideal experimental outcome, but also so many lessons. The boys get to see me cope with the unexpected; mistakes as learning, disappointment, but recovery.

Due to my ongoing physical healing, I have moved to returning to teaching yoga; primarily verbal cues, offering adjustments, and basically no demonstration. This is a massive change in my teaching style. My own movement used to trigger memory of my planned sequencing; I practiced physically beside my students. Saturday was a whole new ball game. An amazing experiment that exercised my brain and pushed me out of my comfort zone. There were two beautiful souls in class, and I loved this experience. There was usual practice turned I-muddle-my-thoughts-when-I-can’t-move-my-body/love-assisting-with-adjustment-and-modifications type of yoga teaching day.

Mother Nature, she also seems to be experimenting. It feels like she is mixing the edges of seasons as winter comes to an end and spring makes some quiet offerings. The Universe laughing at our predictions and comforts of modern life. Neither Mother Nature nor the Universe are flawed; we can see perfection in their rotation of changes. They are both consistent and steady with change and experiment. After a year and a half of constant changes in plans and life, being able to continue to enjoy the turbulence of this journey is a major shift. Grateful to be present and a part of the wonders and the blunders as an experimenting parent/yoga teacher/human being.

Mantras:

Teach me Universe. Experiment. Hold on for the ride.

Music:

Glass Animals, Tears in Space