Today I am facilitating, with Bill Bushnell, a conversation on the “Book of Joy” by the Dalia Lama and Desmond Tutu. We read two chapters a week and the last few have been on the more difficult feelings. Sadness, grief, fear, anxiety and envy. You would think it would be depressing, especially now with COVID but surprisingly each chapter, along with talking about the harder emotions, gives examples of how to find and appreciate joy. This week we are talking about illness and death. Something we all are familiar with; if not for ourselves than in those around us.

It was my turn to find a quote that is sent with a reminder zoom link and this is what I found:

“Part of the problem with the word ‘disabilities’ is that it immediately suggests an inability to see or hear or walk or do other things that many of us take for granted. But what of people who can’t feel? Or talk about their feelings? Or manage their feelings in constructive ways? What of people who aren’t able to form close and strong relationships? And people who cannot find fulfillment in their lives, or those who have lost hope, who live in disappointment and bitterness and find in life no joy, no love? These, it seems to me, are the real disabilities.”

― Fred Rogers, The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember

Fred never disappoints me with his words of wisdom. He reminds me that if we stay connected to our interior world than the exterior world is manageable. Feelings shape our reality. We can be disabled and walk and talk “normally”.

So today feel empowered by Fred and name and claim your feelings. Fred doesn’t care what they are (he has a song for every feeling). Sad or joyful rejoice in your ability to feel at all.