Maybe it was the revelations from the first accusations against Harvey Weinstein, or the release of the president’s “grab ‘em by the pussy” recording. But sometime in the last two years, I decided to write down every time I could remember being sexually assaulted, threatened, or harassed. I started in single digit childhood and counted nearly two dozen instances by the time I stopped counting at age 35.
As soon as I saw the commercials for this new network comedy, Bob Hearts Abishola, I was intrigued. Truth be told, I did not hold out much hope that this sitcom would authentically depict the lives of immigrant Nigerians in America without succumbing to culturally ignorant stereotypes and dumbed-down dialogue. That seems to be the general way of sitcoms.
If you’ve ever taken a dance, exercise or yoga class, you know what is meant by the core. Or perhaps you just think you do. Since the start of 2020 I’ve been taking twice weekly private yoga instruction. 10 sessions in, and I can already see the difference. And it’s not just the yoga. My wellness intention encompasses many other elements – meditation, journaling, massage, acupuncture, eliminating sugar and white flour, taking supplements, and drinking more water on a regular basis.
This morning I was reveling in my morning practice and how it was rescuing me from “the simmer.” What’s that? It’s the slow, low burn of toxic emotions like frustration, discouragement, worry and criticism that I wake up with quite often. It’s not a bonfire, consuming all the air and light. Most days it’s, well, simmering, like a pot of something quietly bubbling on the back burner of the cook top.