In my ideal world, I would still be married, my family intact, and we’d all be snuggled on the couch on Saturday night, watching the new Spiderman movie, and eating popcorn from the same big bucket.
Instead, this is a picture of the newest tapestry addition in my apartment that I live in with my kids half the time. And the pink frog is part of my daughter’s current affinity phase with Build-a-Bear characters.
Her name is Milkshake.
My daughter snapped this picture with the goal in mind being to capture her new hombre-themed frog in an epic photoshoot only a ten-year-old can recreate. But when I looked back at the shots, this one stood out immediately.
It was almost like the Universe was telling me to share it.
In ninth grade, at a Catholic high school, one of our assignments was to do a presentation on any religion of our choice.
I chose Buddhism.
I will eventually delve into my checkered (i.e., dark and light patches) experiences with attending Catholic schools all my life— but today is not that day.
I’ve always been fascinated with the humble teachings of Buddhism. When I read about it, I felt a sense of acceptance and peace. Something I didn’t always feel at my Catholic school.
You can’t see it in the picture, but the three medical certificates I acquired while navigating a hellish divorce are hanging on the wall across the from the tapestry. (You know, no big whoop.)
And when I lay on my futon and look up — I find my center.
Mandala
“A mandala is a symbol of the universe in its ideal form, and its creation signifies the transformation of a universe of suffering into one of joy. It can also be used as an aid for meditation, helping the meditator to envision how to achieve the perfect self.” — Asia Society
Thank you for reading. ❤
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This post was previously published on MEDIUM.COM.
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From The Good Men Project on Medium
What Does Being in Love and Loving Someone Really Mean? | My 9-Year-Old Accidentally Explained Why His Mom Divorced Me | The One Thing Men Want More Than Sex | The Internal Struggle Men Battle in Silence |
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