Herding Cats
My Sister and nephews are visiting us from Santa Fe. I love them so much and it’s amazing and wonderful to have them here, and also a path of learning for Super-mom.
I didn’t think it was possible for anyone (let alone a guest in your house) to do 7 loads of laundry a day.
How is that POSSIBLE?
LOL.
I have no idea what she’s finding to wash, but Girl, that washer has been going nonstop.
“There’s a lot of inertia going on around here,” quipped Philippe as I said for the umpteenth time “OK, guys, ready to go swimming at the lake?”
This Super-mom likes to MOVE. I’m all about being centered, in the moment, and yogic, but I’m also about massive action and FUN.
Five kids–two who’re 4 months of age? No worries—I find a way.
My sister didn’t get the “massive action gene.” 
I’m way more “vata” and she’s more “kapha.” (Check out what these terms mean in Ayurvedic medicine. Good stuff. Google it, Super-people.)
So, when my big sister and I are together, it’s pretty funny to witness the flow–or lack thereof.
How could two people so different be related?
Her four food groups are: doughnuts, chocolate chip cookies, white bread, and butter.
She can’t stand exercise of any kind. Has never liked it.
I started ice-skating five hours a day when I was five years old.
Yet despite all of our differences, I adore her and love every moment we’re together.
My intention with Super-mom.com is to inspire this kind of love, adoration, and support of all Super-people—no matter whether they’re like you or not. In fact, the world is that much more interesting and fun because we’re all so different.
So during my Sister’s visit, it has become clear to me that my lesson with her and her family is to totally let go, surrender, and paddle downstream.
Attempting to “do anything” or have any “expectations” about our days or “plans” is like “herding cats.”
I had wanted to go to our Prana Power Yoga Cambridge and Prana Power Yoga Winchester Studios to merchandise the PRANA raw vegan foods that we’re now selling; however, after 3 days of striking out in an attempt to make it there, I had clarity.
What became clear is that my path during their visit is to expect very little in the way of doing stuff/going places/etc. (We still haven’t left the house as a group at 3:06pm….I woke up at 5am, nursed, swam a mile in crystal lake, and took the 715am at Prana Newton before anyone woke up, and at this point, it’s pretty clear we ain’t goin’ anywhere today—LOL.)
So I’m surrendered to the process now. ;)
And once I chose to surrender, and let my PRANA staff know that I’d be out of commission for a bit and why, I got this amazing and poignant email from a dear friend and PRANA teacher, which I read 3x and am now sharing with you:
“I’m glad for you Taylor. I think the random time you spend with people is the most memorable. It makes me think of years ago living in Allston in a big house with lots of people. People would move in and out with little fanfare and we never really knew who was actually living there. Anyway, mornings when I woke up and would sit out on our back porch with my friends were the best. Morning would come and go and we’d be chatting, calling in sick to work and enjoying ourselves. Now when we manage to get together it always revolves around doing something. We always end up at a loud bar or concert or something. It makes me miss the time when my friends were just around all the time, and the mornings that turned into all day hang out sessions are what I remember best. You can’t plan them. They just… happen.” : )
And I really can’t say it any better than that.
Namaste!
September 7th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
I love this! So much that I got inspired and wrote my own version! Here it is..
THE TEACHER
(Adapted from “Herding Cats” by Taylor Wells (http://super-mom.com/herding-cats))
My sister just left for college. She is a freshman at the University of Colorado, Boulder; where, judging from her most recent texts, she is having an excellent time. I, on the other hand, am preparing to enter an intensive theater program in two weeks, where I will be working from 7 am to 10 pm every day, seven days a week. I have ten plays to read before then, numerous essays to write, and my entire room to pack up. Needless to say, her tales of weekend fun are a welcomed distraction from the stress I am feeling.
The irony of her choice of school, by the way, is not lost on me. It lies in stark contrast to the tiny, liberal arts college where I will return as a junior this spring, in the heart of Ohio’s Amish country, and gives you an idea of the vast array of differences between us.
To start, I spend my weekends at school drinking hipster, offbeat beers out of glass bottles with other artistes who wear lumberjack shirts with skinny jeans and argue over Chekhov plays. She spends her weekends doing…other things. Not important. What is important is the question that’s been on my mind since our most recent virtual conversation: How could two people so different be related?
I mean, the contradictions between us are pretty much endless.
I eat mostly raw, vegan food. Her favorite meals include some combination of steak, tuna steak, steak fries, and Annie’s buttermilk ranch dressing.
My exercise of choice is yoga, complemented by occasional nature hikes. She was the star of her high school’s soccer and lacrosse teams.
I have brown curly hair and pale skin; she is tan with blond, silky locks. She adores animals; I’m a wimp around big dogs. I traveled to the Edinburgh Theater Festival for my senior trip; she went to Cancun. She’s a Scorpio; I’m a Libra. ‘Nuff said.
Yet despite all our differences, I adore her and love every moment we’re together. Our family is so much more interesting and fun because we are so different. And when I choose to keep my eyes open and avoid slipping into know-it-all mode, Julia teaches me things. A lot of things.
And this week, the lesson is to just chill. Something Julia is very good at. To relax. To go with the flow. To hang out. To sit on the couch and watch TV. To sit on the couch and listen to music. To just…sit on the couch. And do nothing. To go to a giant university a thousands miles away from your home, your family, and your boyfriend, and keep a smile on your face and a skip in your step, trusting that everything will be okay.
Suddenly, reading a few plays doesn’t seem so bad after all.
“By letting it go, it all gets done.” – Lao Tzu
Edited to add: The differences between us are BEAUTIFUL and should be CELEBRATED! This is what Taylor “preaches,” and she most certainly practices it and walks her talk. I love my sister AND I love myself…that’s what I got out of it. Its all good! Love you Taylor!