Show Up With Grace
Our focus this week — July 23–30: “Duty”
Today’s MotD: Show Up With Grace. When I first saw this title, my immediate (comedic) reaction was: “Who’s Grace ? And why do I have to show up with her ?” But, seriously, folks… Just as it was mentioned yesterday that we have free will about whether we do what must be done or not, we also have free will as to how we show up to do “that which must be done”.
We can choose to show up begrudgingly, being snarly, resentful, angry, and pissy or we can put on our grown-up pants and show up with grace, ready to get whatever the job is…done, in as best as possible mood we can manage in the moment.
For instance, tonight. I had forgotten that I hadn’t done today’s mandala of the day yet. Here I was ready to go brush my teeth and go to bed and now I have to do the MotD. Technically, I don’t HAVE to do it today (or at all, really), no one is paying me to do these, I have no deadline, and I have no boss hovering over me to get these done.
No, this is something I set up. So if I do it or not, it’s totally up to me. BUT…I made the commitment to myself, at the beginning of the year, to paint these puzzle pieces, one day at a time throughout the year and by goodness I want to honor my commitment. I want to show up for myself.
Then on top of that, when I randomly chose a piece, it turned out to be one of the more detailed pieces in the bunch. At first, I was annoyed. I wanted an easier piece. I’m tired. My eyes are tired. I just wanted to go to bed. Then I read today’s title. I did what I had to do. I opted to accept that this was an opportunity for me to practice today’s MotD and show up with grace.
Now that it’s painted. I’m writing this post. Also another thing I don’t HAVE to do but to honor my commitment I MUST do it. I could have just written a sentence or two and then published it, but I wanted to share my story with you.
Did I do the best possible job on painting this piece ? Probably not. Did I write the most profound, meaningful and grammatically correct post ? Again, probably not. The point is, at least for me, is that I did what must be done. And to the best of my ability, I showed up with as much grace as I could muster at this late hour.
How about you ? What does it mean to you to show up with grace ? When doing that which must be done, even when you don’t feel like it, do you do so begrudgingly ? Or do you show up with grace ? (whoever or whever she is…sorry, it’s late…I couldn’t resist).
BTW…Here’s the before…the front and back view of today’s puzzle piece and the pretty ceramic box that holds all my numbers from which I randomly choose each day’s puzzle piece number:
Peace & Blessings,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
Creating Mandalas 🔆 Awakening Inner Harmony
ABOUT THE 2025 Mandalas of the Day
Throughout the year, I’ll be building one large (48”x48”) Tibetan-styled Mandala one piece at a time…one puzzle piece at a time, that is. The mandala design and the reversed puzzle side were printed on artist-quality watercolor paper. The forward facing puzzle side was printed on a 48”x48” wood panel.
Each day, at random, I’ll be painting in watercolors one of the 365 watercolor puzzle pieces, that by the end of the year will become Archangel Mandala #4. Read more about the Archangel Series. The word/message for each piece will be inspired by Melody Beattie’s book “52 Weeks of Conscious Contact”.
Ultimately, the message of this mandala is about how we are all uniquely part of the one.
Mandala of the Day 