OM/ cause every little thing is gonna be alright

Monday night at yoga, the instructor had us practice with our eyes closed so that we could get a sense of how our bodies feel in space.  He said that not looking in the mirror causes us to use more and different muscles.  He’s always interested in putting a fresh spin on things, which is great.

I came home to a very very sunburned  Sophie.  She’d returned earlier from her trip to the beach with a friend a little pink, but after a few hours had passed, she was alarmingly red in the places where the sunblock wore off.  Poor girl.  She came to me that night, sobbing with her face in her hands.  I thought it hurt, but she was afraid.  Afraid that her face was going to peel off.  The entire thing.  She thought that was what everyone meant when they told her that her face would peel.  I still don’t know if I was successful in convincing her otherwise. 

Today she has blisters all over her nose, which I DID NOT point out to her. 

Tuesday night at yoga, with the same teacher, we took a long savasana that included an optional sing-along to Bob Marley — don’t worry, bout a thing, cause every little thing, is gonna be alright —   I didn’t sing at first, mainly because I was too tired from the class (power yoga? kicked.my.ass).  But, then I did start singing along with the other 35 or so people in there and I found it was impossible not to smile and feel really good.   The thing is, every little thing is NOT going to be alright and we all know it isn’t.  (Stay with me here)  There are lots of great things about being on this planet, but there are also lots of hard, scary, horrible, sad, rotten, wrong, and maddening things, too, and if your world is A-OK, look around and you’ll see that isn’t the case for so many people.  Why is it, then, that saying that out loud, Every Thing Is Okay, makes me feel better?  Parents say it to soothe their kids, we say it to ourselves when we’re nervous or scared.  Sometimes when we are the ones who need the soothing, we need to hear those words as much as we need water and food.  Even if we know they aren’t quite accurate.

Is it that hearing and saying those words changes our attitude, which is a powerful force?   Does a little reassurance make us feel that much better because it gives us permission to stop worrying?  Is it the realization, on some level, that even the hard parts of life are necessary, and that while things won’t all be alright, they sort of will be in some ways.  Eventually.  In ways that matter.  Which we may never figure out.  Maybe.

I’m really sleepy.  Too sleepy to make any sense at all.  But, you know, it’s okay, because I’m going to sleep in a little tomorrow and make something really good for breakfast.  Hmmmm, maybe the song is about the little things, those can still be good — great, even — despite the state of the big picture.  And, right now, my big picture looks good, too, and that makes the little things even brighter.

5 thoughts on “OM/ cause every little thing is gonna be alright

  1. eve

    Oh, you make perfect sense to me. I battled through that whole “hell in a handbasket thing” and came out at the same shiny place–the little things ARE good and ARE there.

    And poor Sophie, I hope she gets healed quickly.

    Reply
  2. Heather

    There is a Big Head Todd Song that has a repeating phrase of “It’s all right if you just want to….” I find that one incredibally soothing as well.

    I got up and did a Birkram yoga effort on our deck this morning and I thought of you. Happy 4th!

    Reply
  3. Marsha

    It is weird this thing we call life, we are all going to die, really we are. I think there has to be a suspension of disbelief otherwise what is the point.

    Reply
  4. Liz Ditz

    My darling daughter is very fair-skinned and burns easily. We found that lavender oil sprinkled on a damp handkerchief, and then applying the hankie to the burned areas, is very soothing and reduces the blistering and peeling. You keep the hankie wet, but you don’t have to re-sprinkle every time.

    Happy 4th!

    Reply
  5. Jamie

    Well if I focus on the negative all the time I fall into a pit of despair..lol..It takes effort to find the positive but it gives life more meaning I think. In Yoga I thought the mantras were supposed to instill change (for the better) Just to make you giggle..I am embarrassed to admit we watched Americas Greatest Inventor..this guy had this :
    http://mytherapybuddy.com/

    P.S Plain white vinegar on sunburns take away the sting too..but she might not like smelling like a pickle…

    Happy Fourth !!

    Reply

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