Where were you when the news came through about RBG's passing? I was out walking, trucking up a big hill, listening to Alicia Keys' new record when my phone started blowing up. I tried to ignore it, but the buzzes kept coming, rapid fire. I made it home and doubled over on the porch.
What followed was 24-48-72 hours of blur. This email is a day late because Monday came out of nowhere and was over before it began. The level of grief took me completely by surprise. Her death, 6 weeks before the election, was a possibility I didn't even consider before it happened. It was unthinkable, and it took me and many of the people in my orbit to our knees.
Those of you who came to my book events in 2018 might remember me talking about "zorbing"—a sport where people roll around the countryside in large plastic orbs, banging into rocks and careening down hills. We talked about how that sensation of tumbling head over heels—at the mercy of gravity, trying to get our footing—seems a whole lot like life sometimes.
And here we are in 2020.
Those conversations two years ago became the inspiration for my new book which, at its root, is about finding our footing: coming home to our bodies, our intellect, our instincts, and the rituals that make our lives feel whole. In the book, we take a ride through a weird, mystical wonderland including 10 areas of well-being and your Town of Favorite Things, with an orb as our primary mode of transportation... that and an old Ford Pinto.
In the middle of this free fall, the question becomes: How do we build a platform under our feet and some handrails to hang onto while rolling warp-speed over brutal terrain?
The answer will be unique for each of us. RBG's reinforcements included exercise, art, opera, family, and (of course) her work—and through it all, she maintained that legendary glimmer in her eye. So today I'm sending something to hang on to, a short passage from The Habit Trip with an quick exercise from a chapter called EmergencyPlan. The 4-minute video below can help you find your reinforcements. The text is there too if you'd rather read it yourself.
The bottom line is this: What people, places, food, exercise, or works of art stabilize you when life spins out of control?
Pick three of each. You can fill them out here if you'd like an emailed record in your inbox. Find your reinforcements, and hang on tight.
Sarah
(Thanks AirballingLA for the perfect orb photo!)
As the Rolling Stone review says, Alicia Keys gives us all a helping hand. Give her new album a listen if you need a boost.
And VOTE please!! Vote Save America, Fair Fight, or Headcount can help.
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Past posts can be found HERE.