hungry hearts.
I am reading a phenomenal book called Hungry Hearts by Jennifer Rudolph Walsh.
It is actually a collection of essays on courage, desire and belonging. The essays are written by some pretty terrific humans in the realm of storytelling.
In the Introduction, Jennifer writes “It’s all too easy to compare our insides with other people’s outsides, imagining some version of a perfect life others are living, while we are left with our imperfect ones. In that disconnect between our perception and reality is a void where lonliness, anxiety, and depression often grow. But there is an antidote - one we all have access to. Sharing the real stories of our hearts, our vulnerable and hungry hearts, allows us to connect with others - inside to insides.”
For me, this is a powerful statement to read because it seems, in general, we are each feeling more alone than ever. I see evidence of it everywhere. And then when we feel alone, we have our trusty phones with social media, to keep us company. And then we get more alone looking at the screen of everyone else’s amazing non-lonely lives. And then we feel more alone. We see the parties we were not invited to or the vacations we didn’t take and of course the list goes on. We have a full color, glossy access to the outside of everyone’s lives but with no idea what is happening on the inside.
When we can open up to each other in some way, and share the story of what is happening on the inside, we take walls down. When we get brave and tell our unedited story, someone may be saved from another day of feeling lonely. When we are willing to open our hearts and share what is on the inside, we help others but we also help ourselves.
One of the things I love about the yoga studio is that it is a place that stories are told. Often through the simple, wordless story of breathing and moving together but also the sharing that goes on before and after classes. We come together for that one hour of magic and our hearts open and we may meet someone who is going through the same thing we are going through. Someone who is willing to share their story. And we leave feeling more connected to our fellow humans and less alone on the inside.
I have only made it through the first 50 pages of Hungry Hearts, but so far, I enthusiastically recommend it!
Hoping to see you on the mat very soon!
Warmly,
Tammy