Mary! This piece is as laugh out loud funny as it is profound. Perfectly imperfect is what we signed up for when we decided to beam ourselves into a meat suit. The meaning you made from this experience, along with the memories you and Maddie made together are what make this life so precious. Just the wonder of experiencing your daughter as a curious 8 year-old and an accomplished woman simultaneously is worth the sometimes arduous journey.
Our Princeton NJ labyrinth walk was serene, the lessons subtle and still reverberating...I will smile all day remembering your vivid description of your labyrinth journey and the moving poem that inspired it!🤩
It is EXACTLY what we signed up for; I remind myself of that every day! Thank you for this generous comment, and for being one of those phenomenal people, Katie. I'm so happy to have found you, and to be walking this path with you!
I echo the Rev’s sentiments here! Laugh out loud funny and profound!
Oh, how I wish I had participated in Labyrinth Day! I will make note to do so for next year.
I’m thankful for many a toe stubbage to jolt me back into the here and now, and yes, once awake, less stubbing has occurred. Now I need to learn how to laugh more when I encounter the shit on my path. 😂
Your story telling skills are en pointe, Mary. I deeply resonate with “irony being the default human setting “ and will be keeping that close as I navigate some rough waters.
It would appear your sons and daughter have hit quite the Mother jackpot. I’d be immensely grateful to have you as a guide and hope they make you feel that every day. Speaking of which, Happy Mother’s Day, my dear! ❤️
Dear Mary, this article is absolutely, incredibly, wonderful! Between laughing my ass off, and shedding some tears, you made sense out of that whole labyrinth experience for me. When I read your poem the morning of the labyrinth walk, I texted Katie (aka “the Rev”) to tell her that I had a really good feeling about this whole thing. All the stars were lining up perfectly. Then they all crashed to earth in a few moments’ time. On the drive home I could feel the tears starting. It was such a letdown. When thinking about it later, because I was trying, like you, to make sense of it, I asked myself, how could I have misread the signs so badly?? But thanks to you, “I can see clearly now, the rain is gone”. And even though it’s cloudy and cool here today, “it’s gonna be a bright, bright sun-shiny day.” LOL.
In fact, my oldest son just popped in to wish me happy Mother’s Day, and he said, “Hey Mom, how was your labyrinth thing?” I said, “Oh, thanks for asking, it was great!” Just like you had an opportunity to share a special hilarious experience with Maddie at your labyrinth, I had a few moments to share with Chris what I had just learned about mine.
Speaking of Maddie, she is lovely. You look like sisters. I did, however, have to look up the meaning of “super-sketch”. (haha, my age showing). And I loved her “yoj , evol, edutitarg”.
Oh, and subsequently, I’ve heard from other distant friends that they weren’t able to participate, for various reasons, but now I don’t even care. Too bad, they missed a great time!
Thanks for all the nice sentiments. You are one phenomenal person yourself! and one hell of a writer! XOX
Isn't it astonishing how quickly our internal state can shift?? From zero to sixty and back again, in a heartbeat. Like you, I'm learning to let it flow, more and more, so that I don't get whiplash! 😂
Yay Chris, for showing up! He's already got Step 1 DOWN.
I meant every single sentiment, Rocket. Your presence was the "rocket fuel," as it were 😂, that propelled me to keep writing early on, when I was doubting whether to keep going. Companionship we can count on, thy name is Rocket. xox
BTW, I meant to mention how much I really appreciated the way you connected the labyrinth experience to the the events of these last three years. We do need each other to keep us going when the going doesn't seem to make sense. Just the way Maddie kept you from bailing on the labyrinth, you have given me inspiration to keep believing that we can make a difference, no matter how small, and that we do what we can and then go drink a couple of beers and have a few good laughs. So here's a link to an article "the Rev" sent me this morning. It seems a perfect follow up to what you wrote in your article and what we're discussing here. Thanks again. xox
It IS the perfect follow-up. I used to follow Caitlin avidly, then fell off during covid because I felt like she was missing the boat. This article hits home, though. Thanks for passing it along! And I'm glad my piece resonated with you... :-)
Love this! I meant to go but.. this reminds me of a song from one of the preschool music CDs we used to have.. “it’s all how you look at it. and really, how you look at it, it completely up to you”. How much our experiences change based on how we choose to perceive them. I have been trying this and mostly getting there.. life is truly what we make of it. Happy Mothers Day!
What an enlightened preschool "indoctrination!" A far better message than most of the drek out there. You've been quite successful at making lemonade during the past few years, it seems to me... and Happy Mother's Day to you, too! xox
I too walked a labyrinth with Rev.KatieGrace and 8 other sweet souls & it was a smallish one meant for one person at a time on its narrow paths...so once 10 of us were in it, we had to dance around each other and sometimes step off our own path to make way for another and some confusion & laughter ensued...I love the simplicity of these labyrinth lessons : show up, surrender to what is, laugh, and keep going...& to that I would only add “dance with the unexpected” :)
YES!! That's perfect, Marcelle. I'm glad that you were able to "dance" with Katie! I wouldn't trade my mondo bizarro labyrinth experience this year with any other, but your experience together is tempting, I'll say. So happy you're here!
Hmmmm... how 'bout AOC as she used to wait-truss at Live Bait! (she's already playin' inta their hands anyhow with her green "agenda") She's double on my poopie list--she didn't even pay the regular folks that "worked on her" (costume, makeup, assistants...) for that MET Gala graft event.... But I'm SURE we kin find lotsa other "worms" out thar fer bait!
May 19, 2023·edited May 19, 2023Liked by Mary Poindexter McLaughlin
Grinnin' from ear ta (h)ear here--I wuz wond'rin' what you've been up ta (bein' bee-hind on my stack-ables), an' am mighty glad I took a look-see !!!
Soz I think we kin all say that life (even pre-plan-dubbuk!) presented ya with turds while our nogginz sought out loftier paths (...ya didn't need no labyrinth neither, a basic NYC sidewark wuz all it took! yer walkin' along thinkin've AHRT an' things POE-etic! an' yer feet hit one'a them pre-digested landmines, possibly more potent than a flip-flop-n'-fly toe-stub!). AND YET...ya keep her posit-tivity (like ya do! me too!) an' ya set yer sights on the larger EX-PERRY-ANTS (peers--includin' daughters!--with ya, peerin' visually an' mentally too--LOOKIN'! with all've us like "ants" workin' an' wantin' that harmony.... a good word, eh?), AND ya "do the do" inspite of the stinky loaves (pinched--yuk human 'er ani-mal--eewwwww!) n' fishes (5 day old...) which are "gifted" to us (really!) along with other "wunders" mostly unexpected that have been "plopped unceremoniously before us" along the way--whuther they manifest in physical disappoint-mints 'er other-wayz.
Obsta-culls all, that we sur-pass with our stories! Our in-terp-writ-tations!
AND as ya said so elly-quint-ly, ya make meaning--yer own meain' if the intended one ain't doin' it (like the lappy-rinse ya found!)--and ya LAUGH. Wull ya gave me a good 'un today! Gracias milady!
Happy Belated Mama's Day too, by the by, cuz it's this "stuff" we mamas 'r made've! (An' no AI confabulated thing's gonna replace us!).
It's that "re-silly-antsy" (ok, not whut I 'spected, but we "do it!" all the same!), it's that adventuresome spirit!, it's a touch've bravery (in the face of 9'o'clock nooze-type fear an' WHAT THE HECK did'ja bring me to--been thar!), it's bein' "game" (makin' it a game!), it's inventin' meanin', it's turnin' this otherwayz muey-funky experience inta wonderful writin' piece! vs just an 'excuse fer complainin' an' it's SHARIN' this with the Uni-Verse (emphasis on the verse that unites us!). It's about givin' birth to IDEARS no less than we've done with our children! What tee-rific life lessons! (Clearly absorbed by yer lovely daughter!)
And they are uni-verse-all! Sure n' soundly appreci-ate-id by those've us that don't go in fer yoga (I'll take Yogi Bear tho), 'er medi-tate-'in (tappin', jiggin', 'er even a random whacky hand-jive's more my kit bag!) cuz it's about gettin' thru the slings n' arrows of life an' extractin' every lil' bit've YOJ outta it, with a plucky GRIN.
I'd'a liked yer teacher Betty ;-)
As fer labyrinths, somewharz in my unpacked boxes we have two bee-u-tea-ful hand-held-handmade ones! When my older'un was a little mite an' got upset, I'd have her trace her tiny fingers on path of the labyrinths as a calmin' thing. An' it worked! It's like "breath time" ya know? Wuther the circle an' spiral wuz the magic (wull, ya know about spirals an' structured warter an' all the vortexes with life force stuff...) OR wuther it was jus' 'bout takin' the TIME ta FOCUS n' breathe... it helped! An' yup, like in life there 'r dead ends an' blurred markin's an' poop and NO BOOK've INSTRUCTIONS but ya figgered it out Mary--an' ya extracted all the goodness of this wackydoodles ex-peer-y-ants, and made it inta a good writin' piece whut besides! Chapeau! (an' not just yer sun-hat neither!)
Daisy, I love this comment! So much of your own goodness to respond to! Yup, NYC is the perfect training ground for turning lemons into a beverage -- especially when you're trying to "make it" in the acting world -- but even just subsisting there is like boot camp. I'm a tougher cookie for living there, that's for damn sure, and we're all tougher cookies for facing obstacles. You must be one helluva toothsome biscotti by now... btw, how are the "roof rats?" And don't you think there should be a comedy special with that name?
I love that you used a mini labyrinth to calm your eldest down... that's genius. Your kids are so lucky to have such a courageous, creative, hilarious momma! Based on what little I know, I think you could write your own book of instructions when it comes to parenting.
Thanks for showing up, making me laugh, and keeping going... you've got it DOWN. xox
May 20, 2023·edited May 20, 2023Liked by Mary Poindexter McLaughlin
Wull thanx back at'cha an' fer the good belly laughs an' a gener-US pat on yer back fer yer own creative parentin'! Ah, them roof rats 'r bizzy here'bouts--my younger daughter hollered fer me to "come quick" cuz there wuz a "scrabblin' " sound right above her head! (OK she wuz a bit freaked out cuz theyze in the WALLS too! Not a danger but shades've Willard n' Ben ya know... Safe (an' finger-safe too!) traps on order (takes a week? 2?) so the critters'll feast meantimes. Too bad we cain't order safe traps fer them globalists! (they soitenly 'r leavin' THEIR messes all over!)
Yup, NewYawk used ta be a trainin' ground fer resiliance all-round--now it breeds over-sensy-tivity an' all sorts've fragility guano I cain't stand so like you, I fleed, flied, flew. That said, I think we both could write sum "instructions" booklets all we larned "on the job" parent'in but then again not all "parentz" 'r game as us -- they'd "YEET" that laybyrinth outta the ballpark an' as ta a book've tips, why they might ask fer the $ back when they see the likes've parent'in tip #201: if yer kiddo is eatin' too fast, cut up the eatables in teeny pieces, play some Roy Smeck hula classics, give'em a chopstick an' some dippin' sauce an' tell 'em ta go "spear fishin' " on Ow'ahu an' count the "catch" in tens fer practice! (Spear fishers kin stand on chairs an' wear swim duds...) Yup. Anywayz, lotsa thanx back fer makin' my day yesta'day--not sure what I got down (ha!) but ain't down fer the count (in tens 'er ones), no siree!
Mary! This piece is as laugh out loud funny as it is profound. Perfectly imperfect is what we signed up for when we decided to beam ourselves into a meat suit. The meaning you made from this experience, along with the memories you and Maddie made together are what make this life so precious. Just the wonder of experiencing your daughter as a curious 8 year-old and an accomplished woman simultaneously is worth the sometimes arduous journey.
Our Princeton NJ labyrinth walk was serene, the lessons subtle and still reverberating...I will smile all day remembering your vivid description of your labyrinth journey and the moving poem that inspired it!🤩
It is EXACTLY what we signed up for; I remind myself of that every day! Thank you for this generous comment, and for being one of those phenomenal people, Katie. I'm so happy to have found you, and to be walking this path with you!
Wow, a serene labyrinth... imagine that... :-)
I echo the Rev’s sentiments here! Laugh out loud funny and profound!
Oh, how I wish I had participated in Labyrinth Day! I will make note to do so for next year.
I’m thankful for many a toe stubbage to jolt me back into the here and now, and yes, once awake, less stubbing has occurred. Now I need to learn how to laugh more when I encounter the shit on my path. 😂
Your story telling skills are en pointe, Mary. I deeply resonate with “irony being the default human setting “ and will be keeping that close as I navigate some rough waters.
It would appear your sons and daughter have hit quite the Mother jackpot. I’d be immensely grateful to have you as a guide and hope they make you feel that every day. Speaking of which, Happy Mother’s Day, my dear! ❤️
Such sweet, sweet words, Tonika. Thank you. I hope your rough waters smooth out soon... and I'm around, if I can help at all. ❤️
I'd say your boys have hit that same jackpot, too. May your Mother's Day be exactly what you need! Big hugs, friend xox
Katie, I just realized you reposted this on your stack! THANK YOU so much. I'm so touched and grateful! xox
Dear Mary, this article is absolutely, incredibly, wonderful! Between laughing my ass off, and shedding some tears, you made sense out of that whole labyrinth experience for me. When I read your poem the morning of the labyrinth walk, I texted Katie (aka “the Rev”) to tell her that I had a really good feeling about this whole thing. All the stars were lining up perfectly. Then they all crashed to earth in a few moments’ time. On the drive home I could feel the tears starting. It was such a letdown. When thinking about it later, because I was trying, like you, to make sense of it, I asked myself, how could I have misread the signs so badly?? But thanks to you, “I can see clearly now, the rain is gone”. And even though it’s cloudy and cool here today, “it’s gonna be a bright, bright sun-shiny day.” LOL.
In fact, my oldest son just popped in to wish me happy Mother’s Day, and he said, “Hey Mom, how was your labyrinth thing?” I said, “Oh, thanks for asking, it was great!” Just like you had an opportunity to share a special hilarious experience with Maddie at your labyrinth, I had a few moments to share with Chris what I had just learned about mine.
Speaking of Maddie, she is lovely. You look like sisters. I did, however, have to look up the meaning of “super-sketch”. (haha, my age showing). And I loved her “yoj , evol, edutitarg”.
Oh, and subsequently, I’ve heard from other distant friends that they weren’t able to participate, for various reasons, but now I don’t even care. Too bad, they missed a great time!
Thanks for all the nice sentiments. You are one phenomenal person yourself! and one hell of a writer! XOX
Isn't it astonishing how quickly our internal state can shift?? From zero to sixty and back again, in a heartbeat. Like you, I'm learning to let it flow, more and more, so that I don't get whiplash! 😂
Yay Chris, for showing up! He's already got Step 1 DOWN.
I meant every single sentiment, Rocket. Your presence was the "rocket fuel," as it were 😂, that propelled me to keep writing early on, when I was doubting whether to keep going. Companionship we can count on, thy name is Rocket. xox
Oy! You're killing me, Mary. Thank you! Hahahaha!
BTW, I meant to mention how much I really appreciated the way you connected the labyrinth experience to the the events of these last three years. We do need each other to keep us going when the going doesn't seem to make sense. Just the way Maddie kept you from bailing on the labyrinth, you have given me inspiration to keep believing that we can make a difference, no matter how small, and that we do what we can and then go drink a couple of beers and have a few good laughs. So here's a link to an article "the Rev" sent me this morning. It seems a perfect follow up to what you wrote in your article and what we're discussing here. Thanks again. xox
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2023/05/12/you-dont-have-to-choose-between-happiness-and-being-informed/
It IS the perfect follow-up. I used to follow Caitlin avidly, then fell off during covid because I felt like she was missing the boat. This article hits home, though. Thanks for passing it along! And I'm glad my piece resonated with you... :-)
The Caitlin article is just what I needed. Really, exactly what I needed.
Everywhere.. everywhere 🙏🏻🥰
Thanks for letting us know. So glad it gave you a lift. Hang in there.
Love this! I meant to go but.. this reminds me of a song from one of the preschool music CDs we used to have.. “it’s all how you look at it. and really, how you look at it, it completely up to you”. How much our experiences change based on how we choose to perceive them. I have been trying this and mostly getting there.. life is truly what we make of it. Happy Mothers Day!
What an enlightened preschool "indoctrination!" A far better message than most of the drek out there. You've been quite successful at making lemonade during the past few years, it seems to me... and Happy Mother's Day to you, too! xox
I too walked a labyrinth with Rev.KatieGrace and 8 other sweet souls & it was a smallish one meant for one person at a time on its narrow paths...so once 10 of us were in it, we had to dance around each other and sometimes step off our own path to make way for another and some confusion & laughter ensued...I love the simplicity of these labyrinth lessons : show up, surrender to what is, laugh, and keep going...& to that I would only add “dance with the unexpected” :)
YES!! That's perfect, Marcelle. I'm glad that you were able to "dance" with Katie! I wouldn't trade my mondo bizarro labyrinth experience this year with any other, but your experience together is tempting, I'll say. So happy you're here!
I’m so grateful to have found your Substack. Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m with you. ❤️
Delighted you're here! Welcome to the tribe... :-)
Hmmmm... how 'bout AOC as she used to wait-truss at Live Bait! (she's already playin' inta their hands anyhow with her green "agenda") She's double on my poopie list--she didn't even pay the regular folks that "worked on her" (costume, makeup, assistants...) for that MET Gala graft event.... But I'm SURE we kin find lotsa other "worms" out thar fer bait!
Grinnin' from ear ta (h)ear here--I wuz wond'rin' what you've been up ta (bein' bee-hind on my stack-ables), an' am mighty glad I took a look-see !!!
Soz I think we kin all say that life (even pre-plan-dubbuk!) presented ya with turds while our nogginz sought out loftier paths (...ya didn't need no labyrinth neither, a basic NYC sidewark wuz all it took! yer walkin' along thinkin've AHRT an' things POE-etic! an' yer feet hit one'a them pre-digested landmines, possibly more potent than a flip-flop-n'-fly toe-stub!). AND YET...ya keep her posit-tivity (like ya do! me too!) an' ya set yer sights on the larger EX-PERRY-ANTS (peers--includin' daughters!--with ya, peerin' visually an' mentally too--LOOKIN'! with all've us like "ants" workin' an' wantin' that harmony.... a good word, eh?), AND ya "do the do" inspite of the stinky loaves (pinched--yuk human 'er ani-mal--eewwwww!) n' fishes (5 day old...) which are "gifted" to us (really!) along with other "wunders" mostly unexpected that have been "plopped unceremoniously before us" along the way--whuther they manifest in physical disappoint-mints 'er other-wayz.
Obsta-culls all, that we sur-pass with our stories! Our in-terp-writ-tations!
AND as ya said so elly-quint-ly, ya make meaning--yer own meain' if the intended one ain't doin' it (like the lappy-rinse ya found!)--and ya LAUGH. Wull ya gave me a good 'un today! Gracias milady!
Happy Belated Mama's Day too, by the by, cuz it's this "stuff" we mamas 'r made've! (An' no AI confabulated thing's gonna replace us!).
It's that "re-silly-antsy" (ok, not whut I 'spected, but we "do it!" all the same!), it's that adventuresome spirit!, it's a touch've bravery (in the face of 9'o'clock nooze-type fear an' WHAT THE HECK did'ja bring me to--been thar!), it's bein' "game" (makin' it a game!), it's inventin' meanin', it's turnin' this otherwayz muey-funky experience inta wonderful writin' piece! vs just an 'excuse fer complainin' an' it's SHARIN' this with the Uni-Verse (emphasis on the verse that unites us!). It's about givin' birth to IDEARS no less than we've done with our children! What tee-rific life lessons! (Clearly absorbed by yer lovely daughter!)
And they are uni-verse-all! Sure n' soundly appreci-ate-id by those've us that don't go in fer yoga (I'll take Yogi Bear tho), 'er medi-tate-'in (tappin', jiggin', 'er even a random whacky hand-jive's more my kit bag!) cuz it's about gettin' thru the slings n' arrows of life an' extractin' every lil' bit've YOJ outta it, with a plucky GRIN.
I'd'a liked yer teacher Betty ;-)
As fer labyrinths, somewharz in my unpacked boxes we have two bee-u-tea-ful hand-held-handmade ones! When my older'un was a little mite an' got upset, I'd have her trace her tiny fingers on path of the labyrinths as a calmin' thing. An' it worked! It's like "breath time" ya know? Wuther the circle an' spiral wuz the magic (wull, ya know about spirals an' structured warter an' all the vortexes with life force stuff...) OR wuther it was jus' 'bout takin' the TIME ta FOCUS n' breathe... it helped! An' yup, like in life there 'r dead ends an' blurred markin's an' poop and NO BOOK've INSTRUCTIONS but ya figgered it out Mary--an' ya extracted all the goodness of this wackydoodles ex-peer-y-ants, and made it inta a good writin' piece whut besides! Chapeau! (an' not just yer sun-hat neither!)
Daisy, I love this comment! So much of your own goodness to respond to! Yup, NYC is the perfect training ground for turning lemons into a beverage -- especially when you're trying to "make it" in the acting world -- but even just subsisting there is like boot camp. I'm a tougher cookie for living there, that's for damn sure, and we're all tougher cookies for facing obstacles. You must be one helluva toothsome biscotti by now... btw, how are the "roof rats?" And don't you think there should be a comedy special with that name?
I love that you used a mini labyrinth to calm your eldest down... that's genius. Your kids are so lucky to have such a courageous, creative, hilarious momma! Based on what little I know, I think you could write your own book of instructions when it comes to parenting.
Thanks for showing up, making me laugh, and keeping going... you've got it DOWN. xox
Wull thanx back at'cha an' fer the good belly laughs an' a gener-US pat on yer back fer yer own creative parentin'! Ah, them roof rats 'r bizzy here'bouts--my younger daughter hollered fer me to "come quick" cuz there wuz a "scrabblin' " sound right above her head! (OK she wuz a bit freaked out cuz theyze in the WALLS too! Not a danger but shades've Willard n' Ben ya know... Safe (an' finger-safe too!) traps on order (takes a week? 2?) so the critters'll feast meantimes. Too bad we cain't order safe traps fer them globalists! (they soitenly 'r leavin' THEIR messes all over!)
Yup, NewYawk used ta be a trainin' ground fer resiliance all-round--now it breeds over-sensy-tivity an' all sorts've fragility guano I cain't stand so like you, I fleed, flied, flew. That said, I think we both could write sum "instructions" booklets all we larned "on the job" parent'in but then again not all "parentz" 'r game as us -- they'd "YEET" that laybyrinth outta the ballpark an' as ta a book've tips, why they might ask fer the $ back when they see the likes've parent'in tip #201: if yer kiddo is eatin' too fast, cut up the eatables in teeny pieces, play some Roy Smeck hula classics, give'em a chopstick an' some dippin' sauce an' tell 'em ta go "spear fishin' " on Ow'ahu an' count the "catch" in tens fer practice! (Spear fishers kin stand on chairs an' wear swim duds...) Yup. Anywayz, lotsa thanx back fer makin' my day yesta'day--not sure what I got down (ha!) but ain't down fer the count (in tens 'er ones), no siree!
Globalist Safe Traps... lol!!
I'm trying to imagine what we could use for bait?