I woke up this morning to the sounds of birds singing, then sat down to meditate listening to the chatter with the occasional car passing. My feisty kitten Orlando (named after the protagonist in As You Like It) joined me on the couch; his purring filled the brief moments of silence between avian and automotive sounds. It was my usual start to the day and this morning it struck me just how blessed I am, to live in this gorgeous area that I have called home for the past 50 years, to be surrounded by furry creatures and a not so furry husband, and to have a career that I love. This sense of ease lasted for a few minutes into the meditation until I started thinking. I catapulted right into politics, into anger and fear and my inner nasty came right out. I am normally an extremely kind person, always smiling at service workers, engaging others in conversations when it looks like they need to talk, giving monetarily when I can. But it takes just one thought to turn that around.

Eckhardt Tolle writes about the pain body, which is a product of the ego and triggered during certain circumstances. Recently, it feels as if the political atmosphere in my country has become anti feminist, and with the preponderance of social media and division, there seems to be an attack on my rights as a woman. If key politicians are elected in the upcoming cycle, will I lose my right to purchase birth control, to vote? There are people who believe that as a woman I should not vote and each time I read an article about how my rights are being questioned, the anger inside grows. There has to be some way to connect with inner source while caring for the body that lives in a tumultuous era. Where does kindness fit into the equation? This morning’s meditation focused on the seeds of kindness. Seeds need water, sunlight, and nutrients to grow. I have to do the work and pull up the weeds around me, I need to make sure that I, as well as 50% of the population have access to the nutrients needed to grow and thrive in society. I am just not sure how to strike that balance yet, to love my neighbor, but make sure that he does not hurt me.

I have decided to spend time each day writing, to possibly publish a blog post at least every few days. I am scared that someone will say mean things about my writing, and despite that knowledge that hurt people hurt people, I am still hesitant to post anything political in this space. But the political affects my interior space. All that I know today is that the moment I turn to the sound of the birds, the soft kitten fur tickling my neck, and the knowledge that the love of my life is sleeping soundly upstairs, my breath slows, my gratitude flows, and a channel is opened for kindness to emerge.