The wise part of me knows we’re all connected no matter what, and for the human part of me there’s nothing like in person connection! Though we get back to Toronto several times a year, it’s often just for a few days associated with family gatherings at holiday times, and while that’s wonderful, having lived in Columbus for the last 6 years I was longing for something different.
So when the opportunity to have a more unstructured, low key visit appeared I jumped at it! Last weekend was designated as “Mumma time” and my two Toronto area ‘kids’ cleared their calendars so we could just hang out together – SUCH a treat!
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Inspecting the old tent – sadly, it failed to pass muster … |
Having unstructured time for a picnic lunch in the park, followed by naps all round, exploring (in conversation, and around the streets) without an agenda, meals together that were sometimes familiar homemade favourites (leek and proscuitto pasta), and trying new things (dinner at a Cuban restaurant), going through containers of old camping equipment on a rainy Sunday afternoon to see what was still salvageable (sadly, despite our ingenuity in erecting the tent in Daniel’s living room, the tent was not!). My Mumma heart was bursting with love and delight. Hearing more stories, and seeing and feeling some of the ways they’re navigating both the comfortable and challenging moments of their lives I feel deeply thankful for the gifts they are in my life and in our world.
I also had 24 hours in downtown Toronto, and there had the opportunity to connect with several friends I’d not seen in a number of years. Again, the richness of sharing things in our lives that remain similar, and ways Life is inviting us into expansion of possibility was wonderful! And the missing of connection with those who were out of town, or where their window of opportunity for connection coincided with times when I’d already made other arrangements reminded me that because of the many precious people in my life (combined with the fact that in our humanity we don’t – yet! – know how to be in multiple places at once) all choices I make necessarily limit other options. Opening our hearts to loving necessarily opens them to the pain of missing – one of the many uncomfortable moments it becomes really valuable for us to be willing to be open to.
BTW – that reminds me, if you haven’t yet seen it, and you’re on Facebook, last week Elizabeth Gilbert posted an extraordinary piece on the mystery of loving and grief that she titled I AM WILLING. If you can access it, please do.
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Choir buddies 🙂 Want to see & hear what we sang
that night at Choir Choir Choir? Cyndi Lauper’s True Colours – SO fun!
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Tuesday was a quiet, at home alone day for me where I enjoyed puttering and cooking – more familiar favourites! That evening I visited my sister and brother-in-law at whose home I lived for a number of years before moving to Columbus.
Wednesday marked the arrival of another dear heart-sister. It was such a treat to have the rest of the week together to share, discover, learn and practice!
And that evening I met my son Daniel for my first time at Choir Choir Choir, where in honour of Pride month we practiced and sang a Facebook live performance of Cyndi Lauper’s True Colours – for all kinds of reasons, a favourite of mine. I so love the blending and harmonies in singing together.
In a remarkable synchronicity, another dear friend from Atlanta had totally independently planned a visit to Canada that same week, so we were able to have dinner together both Thursday and Friday evenings!
Saturday brought another highlight – a day spent with Richard Schwartz, the developer of Internal Family Systems model. I’ve found this such a resonant, and affirming practice for truly loving and relating more deeply to all the parts of ourselves, and each other. If you have a moment, you might enjoy having a look at the description of the day here.
I knew heading back home immediately after the program was done would make for a very long day. I was thankful for the support of those who kept me company by phone along the way, and another friend who at the last moment, opened his home to me when at 10:30 pm I realized I likely couldn’t safely manage another 3 hours of driving – angels come in many forms!
But it meant another night away from home and my sweetheart, so when I woke at 5:45 this morning, it was an easy choice to get up and drive home so I could join him for a reconnecting snuggle before he had gotten out of bed.
Sharing all these reflections feels a little vulnerable, but it’s what was in my heart today. I wanted to share with you my savouring of all these RICH relationships that bless my life!
And I hope you may feel drawn to join me and others in our community during our daytime, no cost, At Home with Maralyn & Friends call. Together we can extend this time of connection and sharing as we gather this Tuesday June 12 on our Maestro line at 1:00 pm ET. If it works for you, I’d love to hear your voice then. If you’ve never registered before, click here.