à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Introversion
Goodbye, Gluttony! Dispatch from a Contemplative Thanksgiving
Despite my excitement at attending a contemplative, potluck Thanksgiving, anxiety hijacked my high spirits on Thursday as I loaded two pans of roasted vegetables and my folding meditation bench into my Subaru. In addition to garden variety worries about whether I’d enjoy the other people, I feared that the intention for a mindful gathering could … Continue reading
Turkey is Not a Synonym for Gratitude
I didn’t always dread Thanksgiving. Growing up in the 1970s and early 1980s, I looked forward to it. I loved the special dishes my mother prepared (sauteed mushrooms and onions being one). I enjoyed making relish, hand cranking cranberries and an orange, rind and all, through a metal meat grinder and watching it ooze red … Continue reading
Authority vs. Authenticity
I recently enrolled in a workshop called “Claim Your Voice.” As an introvert, my tendency towards formulating a response and finding accurate words sometimes trump instantaneous communication. Fast-moving conversations often drown out my voice, or people misinterpret my pause as meaning that I have nothing to say, so I am overlooked. By the time I’ve … Continue reading
Yes, I am a S.N.O.B.
The first time I was called a snob, it wasn’t to my face. Rather, it was written in a bathroom stall in the girls’ locker room at my high school. To see my name and my boyfriend’s inked and linked with “snob” stung, even more so since my pants were down. I was 15 and … Continue reading
Commitment: Choice or Coercion?
Life has, again, presented me with an opportunity to write about commitment. Towards the end of June an acquaintance invited me to an event in Denver whose venue was capping the number of guests. It was unclear what the cap was and at what point it would be reached. If I wanted to attend, I … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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