12 Days of Mindfulness
My second grade teacher, Mrs. Shoemaker (yes, her real name, and she lived in an ivy-covered Tudor cottage across the street from the elementary school), kept an advent calendar near her reading chair. There, we sat on the floor in a circle around her feet to hear our daily installment of Charlotte’s Web and count down the days to Christmas, one piece of sweet milk chocolate at a time. As the cardboard windows popped open and emptied, we got closer to that morning when I’d find Care Bears in front of the fireplace and spend days playing behind the Christmas tree with my My Little Ponies.
Even though it was totally inappropriate for her to talk about Bible stories in public school and call on the one girl who didn’t have her hand raised (me) when she asked who the Angel Gabriel was (I’m still mad about that), I loved that advent calendar in the back of the room. Since then, unfortunately, I haven’t found a way to mark the days leading up to the holiday. Meaning that the entire wind-up––cheerful and bright though it is––bleeds together. Is it December 13 or 21? Who knows?
So when a friend suggested I join the 12 Days of Mindfulness group on Facebook, I was pretty excited. I’d like to mark the days, holiday or no, not with high-fructose corn syrup-sweetened drugstore chocolate, but with a little more attention. The countdown begins today with a call to simply notice where you are: to take a moment to be mindful of the sights, smells, and details around you.
Let me tell you: I’m listening to the jazzy sounds of Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas. I’ve got a plaid blanket wrapped around my shoulders and an indefatigable sore throat. There’s a mason jar filled with holly branches on the table and some sadly neglected, on-their-deathbed plants on the floor that I just brought in from the fire escape last night. The Christmas tree lights are on, and there’s a someone-recently-cooked-with-garlic smell hanging in the air. It is a cozy late morning in December, I am 28, and I have a cold. I’m so grateful for all of it.
Well, maybe not the nearly-dead plants and the sniffles, but still. I hope we all find time in the days ahead to slow down and pay attention to the details in our lives. Good or bad, they’re ours, and there’s something awfully nice about that.
Photo: advent calendar available on Etsy
Elaina: Sarah,
This is the first comment I have left
you. I just wanted you to know I am looking across the street to Mrs. Shoemakers house from my second grade classroom. We are currently learning about Hanukkah.1 year ago
Elaina, Holy small world! That is a very good ending to my story. I feel like the score has been settled.1 year ago
Amy --- Just A Titch: My mom still buys me an advent calendar at age 27. I love how it adds a sort of holiness to the season—a bit of anticipation one doesn’t normally feel. And yes, hurray for those little bits and pieces that may not be pretty but belong to us nonetheless.
Lovely post.1 year ago
Ann Flora: It’s a snow day here. Hubby has been home from work, working on his art instead. Our lunch of leftover chicken and barley soup with a view of flying flakes was followed by a bracing winter walk. I’ve been photographing ornaments for a blog post, because I’ve realized how meaningful they can be. Tonight we’ll dine on a rice salad that I’ll create as I go and snuggle up for a good Christmas movie or an episode of the final season of Monk. Life is good.
Thanks for the opportunity to see if from the outside and appreciate it more fully.1 year ago
Nath: This is a wonderful idea, thanks for passing it on. Hope your cold goes away soon, the way all well-behaved colds should.1 year ago
Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams: This is SO what I needed after a long, tiring day. I hope your cold gets better soon – and I’ll join you in that cozy, twinkly, blanket-wrapped thing.
PS: I have an Advent calendar of books, from the Bodleian Library in Oxford, and I love it. I’ve been thinking of making another one recently…maybe in time for next year’s Advent.1 year ago
Sara Rose: How about a different recipe of cookies to gift for each day of advent? You rock, lovely lady.1 year ago
Robin Parker: Hi, I’m the admin for the 12 Days of Mindfulness group! What a beautiful post. This must be the reason the group all of a sudden picked up so many new members today!
Thanks for helping to inspire more mindfulness this holiday season. I’m honored and thrilled to share this alternative advent experiment with so many great people.1 year ago
Ellen: I am a third grade teacher, and each year, I make my husband a countdown chain (like we do in class). On each link, I write something fun & Christmas-y. It reminds us to take a little time (sometimes a lot of time) to focus on us / the season / others.
Some chains we’ve already done:
- bake gingerbread
- clean the pantry & donate (still good) canned goods
- hold hands & walk around to see the lights in our neighborhood
- listen to Christmas carols while catching up on our Google Reader (me) / playing Starcraft (him)
- volunteer time in the community
- go to the Dickens Fair & see the 1890s-style decorations at the McHenry Mansion1 year ago
Maryann Kelly: Just stumbled onto your blog while looking for a recipe. Really enjoyed the read! I will be coming back for seconds, I think.
1 year ago
Christy Carpenter: My grandmother’s name married name was Shoemaker and it always made me smile. Awww, thanks for allowing me to remember her fondly tonight.1 year ago