mums the word

This is me and mum being silly together. I lived with her for almost a year from 2012-2013. Doing this helped me better afford travelling to California for the 3 retreats to learn about leadership using NVC practices.

My mum is an inspiration to me, she can find humour in challenging times, is constantly creating and has been brave enough to want to try and understand NVC and living nonviolence. It's not been an easy ride, although mostly our relationship has got easier, is more authentic and connecting. My mum shares stories with me about ways she gives empathy to people in daily situations that has a meaningful impact on them. I see my mum as a community artist and activist who goes about the 'light' work in the most subtle ways. I'd like to share a story she told me last night whilst we were having dinner together.

She was in a local shop looking at 'bargains' in the chiller. A man approached her and moved her out of the way to look more closely. My mum's immediate thought was 'this man is not aware that he pushed me'. She decided to connect with him and said something like 'are you after a bargain?' he looked up and said yes. My mum told him he had moved her out of the way. He was very apologetic and she said 'I can see you just really want a wee bargain, don't you?'. "Yes I do" said the man and looking sad he said "and I'm sorry I pushed you I really didn't realise".

The way mum relayed this story tells me that when we can say what we want and not attached to being right or to a particular outcome (she was lighthearted about it and didn't take it personally) it's possible to get connection and have ourselves be heard.

I'm still working on that. Nice one mum!