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Ashie's Simple Lesson
Ashie's Simple Lesson
It was three o'clock in the morning. I sat on the edge of the bed, my head in my hands, feeling the crushing weight of a heavy heart. In those dark hours, anxieties don't just whisper; they echo. The mistakes of the past and the uncertainties of the future seemed to gather at the foot of the bed, leaving me feeling entirely alone.
Then, through the darkness, I felt a soft brushing against my ankle.
It was Ashie. He hadn’t been awoken by a loud noise; he had simply sensed the shift in the room's energy. With a gentle, effortless leap, he landed beside me and sat down, his shoulder pressed firmly against my thigh. His little red bell remained perfectly still. He simply took up his position as my silent guardian.
I looked down at him. Through the shadows, his green eyes reflected the pale moonlight—wide, soft, and completely devoid of judgment.
In the human world, we often face conditions. We worry about being judged as weak or failing. But Ashie’s gaze held none of that noise. He didn’t need an explanation for my tight chest. To him, I wasn't a professional, a success, or a failure. I was simply his human. He looked at my messy, midnight self with the exact same total acceptance as he did when I was smiling and whole.
I reached out a trembling hand and laid it over his back, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breath and the comforting rumble of his purr. By simply refusing to leave my side, Ashie was teaching me the truest meaning of sanctuary—that it is safe to be vulnerable.
When we are caught in self-doubt, we are often our own harshest critics. Ashie’s silent vigil reminds us of a profound truth: Healing does not require us to fix ourselves first; it simply requires us to meet ourselves with absolute kindness. To bring this sanctuary into your daily life, try these three gentle shifts:
1. The Safe Pause: When a heavy emotion arises, resist the urge to analyze or judge it. Give yourself permission to just feel what you are feeling for three slow breaths, without labeling it as "good" or "bad."
2. Shedding the Conditions: Remind yourself that your worth is not attached to your productivity or how well you are coping today. True self-compassion means holding space for your messy, tired self with the exact same love you give to your whole and happy self.
3. Seeking Silent Presence: When words feel like too much, look for a small, grounding anchor right where you are. Rest a hand on a pet, listen to the steady rhythm of your own breath, or feel the warmth of a cup of tea.
🌷 humbly from Linda's desk @ Tulip Meadows 🌷
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