Harboring grudges and resentments can wall-off one’s spiritual heart and detrimentally impact one’s physical heart. Forgiving yourself and others is the remedy. Like a stent, forgiveness opens back up a blocked and constricted heart into a healthier flow. An open-heart then returns to its natural, unlimited capacity to love.
Reflecting on Marisa Donnelly’s idea that joy heals the spirit may seem out of place and terribly naive in light of the grief and loss people have recently endured. However, I do believe joy is medicinal and joy is needed now more than ever.
Back in the day when I was a stay-at-home mom, “mindfulness” wasn’t even a word in my vocabulary. The only mindfulness I was aware of was my own mind-fullness just trying to navigate a busy, full schedule with three children. It wasn’t until later in life that mindfulness was brought to my attention through the examples my oldest son Sean exhibited.