The phone rang. Actually, it buzzed, vibrating on the coffee table. I looked down, and there was my friend’s smiling face. I always enjoy seeing it–when I took the photo of her, I’d said, “Think of sex!” and she responded with a surprised laugh.
“Eric, are you home?” Yes. “Oh good! I have some Easter cheer for you. I’ll be over soon.”
Not much longer and there was a rapping, rapping, at my old front door. Once our fearsome miniature schnauzer, Riley, was under control, I went and greeted my smiling friend.
“I know how much you guys like cream puffs,” she said as she handed the foil-covered box of “Easter joy” to me, complete with a greeting card on top. I thanked her profusely. We chatted a bit. She said she hoped to see me in church tomorrow, and I said I’d be there. With–surprise!–my daughter, home briefly from NY, and also my ex-wife (whom we all love), who is coming in for the night as she returns home from a concert and teaching trip.
There were more Easter cheer deliveries to make, and so my friend went happily on her way. I went and told my husband, still in bed, that “Mary just brought us cream puffs.” He smiled and stretched his sleepy body with surprised ecstasy.
What a great way to spend a sunny Saturday morning, I realized. She’s having a blast.
I’m sitting here feeling stuck with a writing project. My inner critic is always worrying that whatever I’m writing or playing is not good enough, that it will be judged, that my worth as a person will be judged.
If I notice that, I can step aside from it, let it be, and connect with other energies. My friend Dale keeps nudging me to meditate, and suddenly it seems like every other article I read or podcast I listen to discusses meditation. OK, OK, universe, thanks for the messages, I’ll meditate!
The Easter cheer delivery lady, who loves to bake, has, I’m sure, thought about what her friends’ favorites are and made them to deliver this morning. It’s an act of caring, attentive, loving friendship.
Time now, I think, to reimagine much of what I do, with writing, with playing, with preparing classes, as creating the gifts I can deliver to friends.
Let’s call it cream-puff energy, a nice replacement for anxiety.
Eric Edberg 