Learn From Your Grandkids
Just finished reading a wonderful book with a great name, “Wherever You Go There You Are,” by Jon Kabat-Zinn. The author has some intriguing ideas on how we can all slow down and live life more “mindfully.” It’s a great read for the summer when things tend to slow down naturally. Here’s an excerpt from the chapter titled “Parenting as Practice”:
“If you are a parent or grandparent, try seeing the children as your teachers. Observe them in silence sometimes. Listen more carefully to them. Read their body language. Assess their self-esteem by watching how they carry themselves, what they draw, what they see, how they behave. What are their needs in this moment? At this time in their day? At this stage in their lives? Ask yourself, ‘How can I help them right now?’
“Then follow what your heart tells you. And remember, advice is probably the last thing that will be useful in most situations, unless it is just the right moment for it, and you are very sensitive to the timing and how you frame things. Just being centered yourself, fully present and open and available, is a great gift for them. And mindful hugging doesn’t hurt, either.”
Tune up: Marriage Encounter weekends provide an opportunity for married couples to take stock of their marriage and improve communication skills. Worldwide Marriage Encounter is holding a weekend Oct. 4 in Spokane. The weekend is sponsored by the Catholic Church but is open to couples of all faiths. For more information, call 484-5683 or (800) 795-LOVE.
Looking for leaders: The YWCA is looking for nominees for its Leader Lunch Women of Achievement awards to be given Nov. 21. Women are honored each year in art and culture, business, community service, education, government and health care. A young woman of achievement is also selected. Nomination deadline is Sept. 20. Call 326-1190 for nomination forms.
Congrats: Two women lawyers in Spokane were featured in the Washington Journal, a statewide publication for the legal profession. Marcia M. Meade of Dawson & Meade law firm and Conni L. Stamper of Stamper, Rubens, Stocker and Smith were two of the 10 women profiled in the July 11 edition of the publication. The women were honored for being “women litigators who are making a name for themselves in a world still dominated by men.”
Accountability: Looking for a worthwhile outlet for your volunteer energy? Neighborhood Accountability Boards help juvenile first-time offenders see the long-term effects of their behavior. They can help stop criminal behavior before it’s too late. Call 458-2469.
, DataTimes MEMO: Common Ground is written on alternating weeks by Rebecca Nappi and Dan Webster. Write to them in care of The Spokesman-Review, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615. Or fax, (509) 459-5098.