Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Friendship Day is Sunday! An annual celebration the first Sunday of August, Friendship Day honors our chosen relationships. I could write volumes about the compassion, sanity and humor my friends add to my life. But this Sunday, I’d like to express gratitude for the lessons mindful friendships have offered me and in this post highlight a children’s book author and illustrator who has captured those lessons in word and art.
Friends, perhaps more than others, see our range of emotion. They share in our extreme joy and comfort us in our deepest sorrow. So it seems fitting that Holly Hobbie has showcased Puddle’s ability to be mindful as his friend, Toot, experiences a bout of mopiness in You Are My Sunshine.
Puddle knows Toot well and catches on quite early in the story that Toot is moping. Puddle also acknowledges though that everyone feels that way sometimes. So, Puddle simply includes Toot in everyday adventures; it’s no big deal.
Toot’s mopiness runs for several days though. Yet Puddle doesn’t take Toot’s less than enthusiastic reactions to sport, games, and social gatherings personally. They just continue to experience life together. Toot mopes. Puddle partakes of life.
After a few days, with the help of a passing storm, Toot is bouncy, lighthearted, smiling and silently expresses a greater appreciation for the friendship. All is sunshine again for Toot and the friendship remains solid. Puddle’s mindfulness helped Toot and it enhanced their friendship.
Friends help us navigate our feelings, but long-lasting friendship demands mindfulness. How often have we reacted poorly when a friend displays a less than pleasant emotion? How often have we distanced ourselves from others when their smiles were replaced by temporary frowns? How many times have we taken a friend’s way of being personally? How often have we felt confused when a friend acts frustrated by how we feel? What toll do these reactions take on our friendships?
As I consider all this, I applaud Hobbie for showcasing the life cycle of feelings, noting that feelings are just feelings, and observing that we all experience all feelings. In short…no one is immune to the slumps. Yet no one is responsible for another person’s feelings and no one feeling lasts forever. We just feel how we feel for as long as we’re attached to it.
We’re all in the role of Toot or Puddle from time to time. But they’ve given us some advice: relationships thrive when we allow our friends to move through their emotional process at their own pace. Each of us will move beyond each challenging feeling. If we remain mindful, we can maintain our friendships through the ordinary emotions of life. Sometimes that just means acting as usual, with the confidence that all is well.
I express gratitude to friends who have helped me navigate my feelings over the years. Let’s celebrate our chosen relationships. They add so much to our lives. Happy Friendship Day!
Namaste
I recommend this book for all ages.
Themes: friendship, feelings, gratitude
Themes for Yoga Teachers: feelings, mindfulness, relationships, gratitude
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
