Grounded

Hello, everyone! Again, my most profound apologies for the lack of posts this month - as I'm sure many of you will understand, it's been a busy time of the year. The holiday season is in full swing (Merry Christmas Eve, to those who celebrate!), the first semester of school just came to a close, and I finally have time to do something other than study. We also have a mere eight days until 2019 begins! Needless to say, life's been a little chaotic.

Maybe it's because of the stressful atmosphere, or perhaps because it's been in the high fifties all December, but it just hasn't felt very Christmas-y this year. Trust me, I've tried to get into the holiday spirit. I've watched Elf four times. I've been blasting Ella Fitzgerald's "Sleigh Ride" for weeks on end, and baked countless trays of Keto cookies. On the whole, it's just not quite working.

But, there was, of course, an exception to this pattern of not-feeling-like-Christmas. Isn't there always?

It was a typical Thursday at my high school when our creative writing teacher announced we would be venturing into the town square about a block away. At first, I was under the impression that this excursion would be academic. Surely we'd have to write some halfway decent poetry to share with the class, wouldn't we? As it turned out, we didn't have an assignment at all! The excursion was simply that - an excursion. A breath of fresh air. A few hours for us to just relax and spend time with our friends. Those hours were truly magical. I enjoyed a lovely lunch with a few of my friends, and before heading back to school, we stopped at a Starbucks. And who should we meet there but the majority of our fellow creative writers! We packed the small cafe, filling the tables and the chairs. The baristas cranked out black coffees and teas and frappuccinos with remarkable speed, and we all chatted jovially. It was wonderful.

When I say that we filled up all of the tables and chairs, I'm not kidding. There was not a seat to spare in that coffee shop, and many people were left without a place to settle down. One of these people was a good friend of mine, who we will call A. A is one of the wisest, sweetest people in the entire galaxy - she has the most creative head-space, is always concerned about the people around her, and is insanely insightful. She's the kind of person you'd offer your chair to in a heartbeat, merely because she would do the same for you. So I did just that. I asked her if she would like my chair. Her response truly stuck with me.

A thanked me, but declined the offer. "I like sitting on the ground," she said. Someone inquired why, and A began to explain: sitting on the ground can fix nearly every problem in the world, she said. You are grounding yourself, literally and metaphorically. You are closer to the Earth. Closer to the raw of nature and to the things that make life truly worth living. She talked about sitting on the hard Earth as one might talk about flying in an airplane or traveling. It puts things into perspective. It reminds you, for a brief moment, that you are an element of something much larger. A majestic something.

During the walk back to school, I hardly noticed the chill of the air or the leaves crunching beneath my Crocs. I was still thinking about A's beautiful explanation. She had made such an incredible point. When life gets to be too much, humankind resorts to the things that are important. We talk with the people we love most. We engage in something we love, whether that something be music or sports or a different thing all together. We fall back on what makes us happy. And why do we do all of this? To ground ourselves. Google Dictionary defines the adjective grounded as 'well balanced and sensible.' When we are upset, stressed, or angry, we tend to turn to things that counter those negative emotions. To people, places, animals, or activities that bring us a sense of calm or joy. In other words, these positive coping skills are perfect examples of finding balance in the mayhem of everyday life. They are exemplars of the steps we take to remain grounded. A also touched upon another idea I absolutely adore, which is the thought that when we are feeling unpleasant emotions, it helps to reflect upon them. To meditate, if you will. Her idea that something as simplistic as sitting on the ground could help in putting your temporary emotions into perspective really resonated with me. I can't honestly say that I've tried it when I'm feeling down. But that's not the point. The point is that sometimes, it's the little things in life that help us the most. The deep breathing. The long runs, the movie marathons, the smallest moments of laughter we enjoy. The sitting on the ground when there is no where else to sit, the reconnecting with the earth and with nature, the rooting of your physical body and intangible thoughts. I don't know about you, but I loved this so much. And that, my friends, is the one instance I can think of that I've felt Christmas-y this year. Not because A said anything to do with reindeer or eggnog or mistletoe, but because of the morals behind what she said - to ground yourself in the chaos. To find peace in the wild. To enjoy every moment of everyday.

Because isn't that is what the holidays are actually about? Not the countless shopping trips or the gift wrap, but being with our families and friends? Sure, the gift cards and books are fabulous. But at their core, I fervently believe that the holidays are deeper than that. I believe the holidays are centered around the heart more so than liquid assets. It can be so easy to forget this. We can become tangled in the tinsel, so wrapped up in the commotion this season causes, that we lose sight of why we are celebrating. We are celebrating because, in the words of The Doctor, every Christmas (or whichever holiday you enjoy) is last Christmas. It's one last time to stay up late, indulging in delicious foods and spending time with others, because we never know what will happen between now and this time next year. There is no telling who will still be gathered around the table 365 days from now. We celebrate to be with one another. At this time of the year, we celebrate love. We cherish it.

So why am I telling you this tale of 20 something creative writers and their conversation in a crammed, coffee-stained Starbucks? To remind you, dear reader. To suggest that when life gets to be overwhelming, you should always return to the small things that bring you joy. You should always center yourself. You should maybe possibly perhaps try sitting on the ground.

Thank you to the moon and back for tuning in, everyone; it means the world to me. Happy holidays! Remember to take care of yourself.

With love,
Maya

Photo by Anshu A on Unsplash, Photo by Elena Ferrer on Unsplash,
Photo by Sebastián León Prado on Unsplash, Photo by Lua Valentia on Unsplash,
Photo by niko photos on Unsplash