The sun is always shining… This Buddhist teaching is one that I’ve been familiar with for a while now, but it never really landed until a few months ago when I was listening to a guided meditation by Dr. Daya Grant (thank you!) about joy.
I was listening to the meditation while I was back home in South Carolina visiting my mom. She was about halfway through her chemo treatments and I was having a really hard time witnessing the effects. In fact, ever since her diagnosis I had felt like I was in a dark cloud — dull, depressed, and really worried about the future. Joy seemed like something that was so far away.
But then I was reminded, thanks to Dr. Grant, that even during the darkest night, the heaviest downpour, and the cloudiest day - the sun is always there. We may not always see it, we may not always feel it, but we can trust that it’s in fact there.
And joy, just like any other quality or feeling, is not something found outside of us, but an innate quality that’s always there — found within us all.
I also want to extend a MASSIVE THANK YOU to everyone that took the time to share, support, and donate to my B4BC Yoga Fundraiser last month. With everyone’s help, I was able to reach my goal… We actually surpassed it!! We raised over $1,000 to support Boarding 4 Breast Cancer’s mission to provide education on early detection, to encourage a healthy + positive lifestyle, and to offer support for breast cancer survivors. This wouldn’t have been possible without YOU, my community. And I’m incredibly grateful.
I’m feeling a lot better than I was a few months ago, and, thankfully, my mom is too. She had a successful lumpectomy and now faces 6 weeks of radiation. After that, I am praying she is done. But for now, we enjoy the good moments without gripping too tightly. And, if you happen to be in the middle of a gnarly storm, just a gentle reminder: The sun is always shining. No toxic positivity, just truth. The sun is always shining. Feel the rain, trust that the morning will come, and know that, eventually, the clouds will clear
Blessings upon blessings.
Thank you, I love you!