Charles Dickens understood it well:
As the opening of A Tale of Two Cities reminds us:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Nowhere was this more true than this past week as NYC experienced apocalyptic, Blade Runner skies.
Vlad seemed to sorta understand that since the smoke levels according to AirNow.gov had tipped into Hazardous, rather than an hour of frolicking in the field each morning, instead we’d be taking a cursory lap around our building for bathroom purposes only.
The smoky situation, however, ended up being an unequivocal and unexpected win for him.
During the worst of it on Wednesday, he had not one, not two, but THREE indoor playdates with Malibu.
And, for the first time ever, Vlad’s “business partner” (at Fetch in the field) Moon came to visit, on both Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
Despite the fact that our entire skyline view of the city was obliterated by toxic fumes, these guys had the time of their lives.
Given our trusty N95 masks, Vlad and I emerged from it all relatively unscathed, although it was impossible not to feel a little irritation in the throat and especially one’s eyes.
Clear Vision has been on my mind these days since I’m partnering with Seva, an organization whose mission is “Transforming Lives by Restoring Sight.”
In fact, I’m teaching a workshop––my first in-person event in 3 years (yes, there’s a zoom option)––on Sunday June 25th.
All the details––including how to sign-up and donate–– are HERE.
I’m thrilled to be teaching this workshop for several reasons, not the least of which is that I’m conceiving it as the kickoff to my birthday festivities.
For better or worse, I’ve created my own potential Catch-22 around my Solar Return.
While I’m working on a Nonchronological™ Project which stems from not-identifying with my birthday, I still want to have a party.
And yes, I realize that in some ways, this is the literal embodiment of the phrase “wanting to have your (birthday) cake, and eat it, too.”
Nonetheless, I’m attempting to exercise a male version of the same loophole I used for my beloved chocolate lab, Belle.
Although I refused to ever reveal Belle’s age (except to her Vet for purely medical purposes), I gave her a huge birthday party every year.
The invitation always said:
“A Gentlemen Never Discusses a Lady’s Age…
But He Always Celebrates Her Birthday.”
I trust you’ll agree that makes perfect sense and embodies the world in which we want to live.
Hosting a completely donation-based birthday event also dovetails perfectly with this month’s theme of Giving.
(Again, June Short Meditation is HERE.)
As I wrote in The Yoga Of Money:
Giving is powerful, transforming both the giver and the receiver.
I’ve often felt that perhaps the greatest joy of teaching for me is that I am giving the very best of myself and what I’ve learned.
Frankly, teaching becomes an almost selfish act since not only do I receive so much back, I also most like being the person I am while teaching.
The more I give to my students, the more I receive.
Giving to others allows us to connect with the best part of ourselves: the capacity to be generous because we know that all is well, that we have more than enough to share, and that we are all connected.
Giving lets us plug into a greater flow, a greater current of energy than we usually experience, one where fear and lack no longer have power over us.
There are, of course, infinite ways of giving, ranging from traditional tithing (giving 10% of one’s earnings to a religious organization) to volunteering our time and talents.
Perhaps the most important aspect of giving is that it should happen NOW, not in some vague future moment when we imagine having a vast surplus of cash and time on our hands.
You don’t need to wait until you can finance a new wing to a hospital or endow a chair at a medical university.
That’s why I love working with Seva.
For only $50 (a week’s worth of lattes) you can give sight to a blind person, showing the astronomical benefit a relatively small amount of money can provide.
To learn more––and to give––click HERE.
Last week I quoted Mary Oliver’s poem The Uses of Sorrow’s unforgettable line about how “a box of darkness” could be understood years later as a gift.
It doesn’t always take that long.
The gifts of the smoky orange skies were immediate.
Before this week, every morning as we left the field, Moon’s dad and I talked about having an at-home playdate in the way that film executives in LA say “Let’s have lunch,” all the while knowing it’ll probably never happen.
A literal “box of darkness” of hazardous smoke brought Moon and Vlad’s friendship to a whole new level.
(There is one slightly negative side-effect: Moon can’t pass our building without intense “But My Friend Lives There!” pulling on his leash.)
Sometimes it seems, for all of us, giving can be the same way––something we postpone or restrict, waiting for perfect conditions that never come.
Instead, consider opening your heart right now, giving freely while the sky are clear and bright, knowing that it’s impossible to truly give without receiving back even more.
Namaste for Now,
