Peaceful, Centered + Connected
There was a little girl sitting behind me on the airplane ride home from Durham, NC, this week. I’m not sure how old she was, and I was only able to catch a glimpse of her brown curls and the side of her left cheek through the crack in between our seats.
“Are we flying yet, Mommy?” She asked as soon as the plane pulled away from the gate. I could hear her mom smile, “No, not yet.”
The plane picked up momentum as it made its way onto the jetway.
The little voice rose up again, “Are we flying now?”
“No, not yet,” her mom said. “The plane will start going really fast, and then it will take off, and we’ll be in the sky, and then we’ll be flying.”
The big moment came. The plane did exactly what her mom described.
“We’re flying, we’re flying!” exclaimed the little voice.
I could hear the joy in her mom’s voice as she said, “Yes, we are.”
The plane made its way up until it landed in a blanket of gray and white, and the city we could once see clearly disappeared right before our eyes.
The little voice spoke. Worry had replaced joy, “Mommy, what’s that?”
Her mother calmly replied, “Those are clouds.”
“Mommy, this is a very bad idea,” said the brown-haired little one. I could hear her mom laugh softly. Dissatisfied with her mother’s reaction, the child spoke again. “Mommy, flying is actually not a good idea.”
I’m not sure if her mom did or said anything after that, as it has all become a blur as I remember the moment the quiet little voice perked up, joy replaced worry, and a big shout came through her little body and the space between our seats,”The sun! The sun!” she shouted.
“Yes, baby, the sun,” said her mom.
And this is what I’m in service to here. The mystery of the spiritual journey, the “are we’s”, the wisdom, the thin veil, and a recollection of our spirit’s wisdom in recognizing the Son.
The contemplative path teaches us that:
- Silence can restore what burnout has eroded
- Stillness is not a luxury—it’s a form of resistance
- Inner work sustains outer impact
- We don’t have to do it all to be enough
This isn’t about self-care as escape. It’s about spiritual formation as fortification. It’s how we build the capacity to stay soft in a hard world. To remain grounded while doing sacred work.
With deep respect for your path. May you feel grounded even in the air.
Grace + Ease,
Tia
A New Way to See the Good News
A new way to see the Good News offers a short passage that may offer a fresh perspective or insight into the ancient collection of poems, letters, and stories known as the Bible.
The Apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.
⎻ Mark 6:30-32
A Breath Prayer
Pause. Take a moment. Find your breath. Close your eyes.
Inhale: You see my weariness.
Exhale: You lead me to rest.
Visiting Together 1:1 in the New Year
As I look ahead, I’m opening up space for a limited number of one-on-one sessions starting in January. If you’re interested in working together the New Year, I’d love to connect. The booking window will close in December, so please reach out before then by replying to this email if you’d like to reserve a spot or secure our monthly visits by clicking below.
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12-month Spiritual Guidance Journey
This one-on-one guidance is designed to support you as you nurture your inner life and explore questions that matter... Read more |
