empathy delivery

I’ve been thinking about our weekly, virtual, empathy gathering and I realized a couple things needed to be in place before we could really enjoy ourselves. So, I hope you don’t mind, I’ve taken the liberty of getting paid leave, for all of you who work, for the rest of this month, a Random Task Engineer for each of us-that will run errands, maintain a spotless house, cook meals, and wash dishes, a magical chunk of time each day -that does not take time away from anything or anybody else- for the exercise of your choice, and an unlimited gift certificate at every craft store for everyone. Anything else necessary? Just let me know.

Now that we’ve taken care of those things we can relax, and enjoy one another. In fact why don’t you all come over to my house? In this imaginary world I have arranged to already have moved out, seen the remodel of our house to perfect completion, and moved back in. So come on over! Bring your kids, your knitting, or nothing. It’s all taken care of.

And while we’re together, let’s offer up empathy to any and all:

• that want more money to spend on gifts.
• that wish crafting lovely little surprises for loved ones did not mean less sleep.
• that are weary of night nursing.
• that have just given birth.
• that have a loved one fighting cancer.
• that need a job.
• that are trying to figure out the politics of family gatherings.
• that are cold.
• that broke their wrist.
• that won’t be with their family over the holidays.
• that want to be older/bigger so that there is “real” hockey gear available to them.
• that have two homes and don’t like the struggles that sometimes brings.
• that are dissatisfied and want something, anything, to change.

It’s so great to be together like this. Would you like more chai? Eggnog? How about a blankie to lay over your legs. Thank you so much for coming.

empathy delivery

Hello friends.

Ready to pretend again?

I know I promised to bring chocolate fondue to our next gathering but my belly is still bulging from pumpkin pie. My mind has instead wandered here to this spot, where we can get massages, and sleep in austere clean rooms, and eat fresh food not prepared by us. Want to join me? Let’s sleep, stretch, and hang out while we share these bits of empathy with each other. Game?

I hereby declare fresh empathy for any and all:

• that are still full.
• that made it through the amazing accomplishment of getting a feast onto the table, only to immediately move onto dishes and more dishes.
• that are ready for a baby but don’t yet have the life that matches their vision of themselves when they actually have a baby.
• that feel crabby, don’t know why, and are tired of it.
• that are ready for harmony with their co-parents.
• that want the job, house, wintertime experience they can so perfectly imagine.
• that feel excited to see someone near and dear to them but still have to wait a little longer.
• that love their mom and want to be with her even though they fight.
• that want to work things out with their ex, but wonder if either of them have changed enough to make it work.
• that want to sleep, just one morning, until they are actually ready to wake up.
• that really enjoy their kids and want to hold on to those particularly beautiful moments.
• that are dealing with overly tired, but ecstatic to be playing with their cousins, children.

Want to add anything? Let me know.

Meanwhile, let’s order another round of guava juice and plan our next move. Should we take a walk on the beach? A dip in the pool? A nap? So hard to choose .

empathy delivery

Let’s all pretend for a moment…

We’re getting together for tea today. We rode our bikes. See mine (or yours) up above? Yes isn’t it a lovely day? We certainly are not staring bleery eyed at a computer screen, no siree. And we are not pressed for time. And we are not concerned about anything. Nope. We live in a quaint, sunny place (all year round), and we are surrounded by loved ones. Today is the day we all gather together, share good food, listen to each other’s stories, and offer empathy to one another. Let’s imagine these bits of empathy scattered throughout our blissful day.

I hereby deliver a platter of empathy to any and all:

• that are fed up with sickness, quarantine, puking, and sniffles.
• that did not buy the groceries they prefer to buy, due to a tighter than comfortable budget.
• that feel stuck.
• that do not want to leave their children with someone else in order to work a part-time, minimum wage , job.
• that have the November blues.
• that see a break-up on the horizon.
• that share their children.
• that have a vision for their lives that isn’t matching their current situation.
• that could seriously use some new clothes.
• that feel they have changed and want others to notice.
• that want things to move faster than they are.
• that want to move their body a lot more than they are currently able.

Oh, I am so glad we did this. What a beautiful day. We really should do this more often. Next weekend? Works for me. You should bring a friend! I think I’ll serve chocolate fondue next time, or maybe peach-raspberry pie.

empathy delivery

This bird image has been floating around in my mind as I think of all of those in need of empathy this week. I think so highly of you. I hereby declare a bright red package of empathy for any and all:

• that are anxiously awaiting test results
• that are dreaming bigger and feel “yearny” because of it
• that are stretching a paycheck to the limit
• that want their children to like each other
• that are looking for change and feel scared by what form that might take
• that are spoiling for a fight
• that have heard: “I hate you!”, lately
• that smell a strange scent in their home and can not locate it
• that want to make their parents proud and feel like they’re failing
• that are fearful of being themselves
• that feel bored
• that don’t trust their spouse
• that were shamed as children
• that are home with a sick six year old and an active toddler

Empathy feels good, even – or especially – when you are doing well and feeling good. Those feelings deserve an audience too.  So here’s to any and all:

• that are looking at a promising job prospect
• that finally got clarity about a situation that had been bothering them for a long time
• that feel well supported by their community
• that are finding themselves in the present, for any length of time
• that have found a new perspective that makes everything easier
• that were able to make something satisfying recently

Hello lovely weekend.

p.s. Please let me know if you’d like anything added to the empathy delivery. Think of a friend, family member, or perfect stranger that needs empathy and give it to them in this space.

empathy delivery

Why does the journey from 6 p.m. until now, when the kids are asleep, sometimes feel like an eternity? I was making dinner (note to self: do not start cooking brown rice when it’s already after six. No matter how good the sushi rolls are, I’ve lost my culinary audience to sleepiness, by 7:30.). Echo was “helping” me cook, which meant telling me, repeatedly and in great detail, why she needed the knife, and Xi was orbiting my body with a giant, helium butterfly balloon that kept smothering my face with it’s buoyancy. (Why is it that no matter what size the house is, the children prefer to play within six inches of my body? ) And while I batted the balloon away from my nostrils for the tenth time, and hid the knife behind the teapot, I thought to myself, this is what empathy delivery is for! We all need to have moments like these recognized. So here goes. I hereby declare empathy for any and all:

• that struggle between the hours of 6 until bedtime.
• that return to the bed 3 times to re-help their little one fall asleep, just to repeat the process a half hour later with their older one.
• that are spending their first days and weeks with their newborn and worry about each little detail; wether or not their baby is  nursing enough, what that particular sound means, wether or not they are doing it right, etc.
• that are recovering from surgery.
• that miss their sister.
• that finally get to move back to their hometown and realize they are a little afraid.
• that want more romance and sex in their relationship, or want to want more sex in their relationship.
• that are in love with someone that is not available, or is not their partner/husband/wife.
• that have moved away from their town and feel lonely.
• that think they want kids but are not yet in the right place for it.
• that feel regret for how they recently treated someone.

Here’s to you, to you all.

empathy delivery

Welcome to the weekend. There have been highs, lows, and a lot in between for me these days, and I have the feeling this may be true for others as well. Therefore, I hereby deliver a big batch of empathy to any and all:

• that feel their clothes are tighter this morning than they’d like.
• that aren’t getting enough sleep, and wonder or worry that they may never catch up on sleep.
• that are sniffling, or coughing, or hot with fever.
• that don’t like the seemingly new wrinkles forming near their eyes.
• that don’t know what is going to happen next, and they don’t like that.
• that don’t have honey for their tea this morning, or milk for their coffee, or whatever the essential ingredient is for the essential, reason-to-get-out-of-bed, beverage.
• that “has to” make a phone call they don’t want to make.

Empathy is not only for moments of struggle. So I hereby deliver another big helping of empathy to any and all:

• that learned to do a cartwheel, or remembered they could still do a cartwheel.
• that feel their money situation shifting for the better.
• that made themselves vulnerable and did not feel fearful or regretful for it.
• that have recovered from coughing, and sneezing.
• that love Fall and leaves and damp air.
• that made love, had a date night, or had a stimulating, intimate conversation, with their partner. (Or all of the above!)
• that are at play; brushing plastic pony hair, shooting hockey pucks, or whatever their delight may be.

Thank you for meeting us here. We love you.

If there is anything else in particular you would like empathy for, or anything you would like someone else to receive empathy for, email, info@feeleez.com, and we will include it in next week’s Empathy Delivery. (Please put “empathy delivery” in the subject heading).