The Question
What used to give joy or comfort that no longer does? Do you miss it?
The Intention
Patience
The Meditative Moment
I have always been a reader. I almost always have a book with me. My mom has countless photos of me as a child with my nose in a book; not much has changed as an adult. I love to read. After my uncle Shaun died, I couldn’t read. My mind wouldn’t settle into a story. It took me months to get back to reading. It was unsettling to not be able to do this thing that I always do. When our world is upturned, we hope to rely on the things that have always comforted us. But sometimes it doesn’t work that way. The invitation is to use this as an opportunity to try something new—an exhausting prospect, perhaps. During this time of not-reading, I began quilting. Slowly the reading returned; slowly your standard comforts will do their work. But be patient with yourself if what comforts isn’t comforting for a while.
Originally sent September 5, 2023, to paid Substack subscribers. If you want to receive current Thin Space reflections, you can start a paid subscription here: https://laurenlmurphy.substack.com. You can choose to pay $75/year or $8/month.