Weekend Zen

Posted byKathleen Cassen MickelsonPosted inmindfulnessTags:

What a week it’s been. Many of us are exhausted, sad, still processing the election outcome. And life doesn’t stop, does it? For myself, that meant calling a plumber for a kitchen drain that backs up every few years, admitting our dishwasher needs to be replaced, juggling the budget to pay for new tires on my car. It meant listening to friends and my kids as they struggled to balance how they were feeling with the reality of whatever needed to be done that day, whether it was job-related or family-related or something else.

That makes this weekend time particularly welcome. Even the rhythm of doing housework feels soothing in this moment: the warmth of the dishwater as I wash the breakfast dishes, the smell of lavender as I clean the bathroom, the swoosh of water in the washing machine as our dirty clothes magically become clean again, the hum of the vacuum as Mick moves around the house. There is the anticipation of listening to our friends’ acoustic trio when they play tonight at a nearby bistro. There is the softness of the sweatpants I’m wearing as I write, comfortable in the second-hand desk chair I have in my office. There is the little glow from the lava lamp a friend sent me for my birthday. And there are the pictures of my family on the magnetic bulletin board beside my desk.

All week, I’ve been seeking comfort and beauty wherever I am. The other piece of this equation is to offer comfort and beauty to someone else.

May today’s offering please you in some small way.

An impressionist reflection of the trees around Como Lake, St. Paul, Minnesota. There is something about November-ish trees and sky that feels calm, as if calling us to settle in, find our favorite blanket, sip our favorite beverage, be safe at home.
This bald eagle appeared in a tree near Como Lake yesterday. Someone coming toward Mick and me on the walking path said, “Did you see the eagle?” We looked up and there he was, looking around, grooming his wings, considering his next move. Eagles keep their wits about themselves no matter what. Their focus is sharp.
Meanwhile, in our own yard, we are offering a buffet. Squirrels and robins have noshed on our crabapples these past few days. The Halloween pumpkins are now in the garden, decomposing and, perhaps, getting nibbled on. Food for others has been the focus of our yard for a long time.

Where are you finding beauty today?

Be well, everyone.

all photos by kcmickelson 2024

Published by Kathleen Cassen Mickelson

Kathleen Cassen Mickelson is a Minnesota-based writer who has published work in journals in the US, UK, and Canada. She is the author of the poetry chapbook How We Learned to Shut Our Own Mouths (Gyroscope Press, 2021) and co-author of the poetry collection Prayer Gardening (Kelsay Books, 2023).

8 thoughts on “Weekend Zen”

  4. Sometimes it is the ordinary things that bring us peace and comfort. I harvested basil with the warm sunlight on my back; then I went inside and made pesto. Your photo brought me a glimpse of beauty and tranquility

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