Speck syndrome
Helping Friendly Newsletter, 05.07.21
GM! ☕️
Here’s what you’ll find in today’s email:
Speck syndrome
Or, as Mary Oliver said…
Walk it out
Mother yourself
Tunes
1. Speck syndrome
In Make Your Art No Matter What, Beth Pickens references “speck syndrome,” a.k.a. existential alarm caused by awareness that our lives are mere specks in time. Speck syndrome (a playful term for real stress) can make us grasp for control or, at the opposite extreme, escape to nihilism. A third option is to accept this paradox: we can be complete, whole, irreplaceable and also tiny, insignificant, inconsequential. Isn’t that amazing?!
2. Or, as Mary Oliver said…
I Go Down To The Shore
I go down to the shore in the morning
and depending on the hour the waves
are rolling in or moving out,
and I say, oh, I am miserable,
what shall—
what should I do? And the sea says
in its lovely voice:
Excuse me, I have work to do.- Mary Oliver
3. Walk it out
Not only does walking get you places and support good health, but it can also be a spiritual practice. If this interests you, here are Buddhist, Christian, and Jewish perspectives on contemplative movement. Or, for something non-religious, I recommend the Walking podcast. If you would like to learn about contemplative walking in the frame of another tradition, hit reply and let me know. I’ll see what I can find.
3. Mother yourself
We mother ourselves when we offer ourselves compassion, acceptance, and unconditional love. Everyone deserves this. You know that problem that’s weighing on you…what would you want for your child?
*This is not just for parents. Sub the name of any child you love for “your child” above.
4. Tunes
Happy Mother’s Day! Two dedications:
For my mom💕, all the moms, the mother figures, the children, and the child in you: Lord Protect My Child, Susan Tedeschi
For Andy and our kids, Abe, Annie, and Leo. I love you like crazy: Going Straight Crazy, Galactic feat. Princess Shaw
Thank you for reading
This email is a labor of love. 💌 If you would like to show your support this week, please donate to Oxygen for India. If you’re seeing my newsletter for the first time, you can access the archive or subscribe here.
Treasure chest
I bet you find a gem ➔ how vaccination became hip in the 1950s | change your org through experimentation | let’s get serious about teacher appreciation | don’t be a “wishcycler” | Silicon Valley’s safe space | digital resting points1 | rethinking Maslow’s hierarchy | would this help you focus?
Take care, all. I’ll see you again soon.
Jenny
Via Ann Friedman.