Rooted in Reality, Open to Light

On cautious optimism, bugs, and leaving the door open, even when it’s inconvenient

The other night, I was cleaning up after dinner, solo parenting my three boys like I do every night. We recently moved out of the city, and I’m still adjusting to a new rhythm. I’d just finished feeding them when the doorbell rang.

Ugh. One of those moments where you’re tired, not expecting anyone, and the last thing you want is a stranger on your doorstep.

But I opened the door anyway. Standing there was a young man, probably in his early twenties, dressed neatly and sweating in the heat, a door-to-door pesticide salesman “servicing the area.”

Now, let me confess: I’m the kind of person who cannot say no. If a Girl Scout comes to my door, I buy one of every cookie. So naturally, I let him in. He gave his whole pitch. I listened politely while mentally juggling the kids, my to-do list, and the question: Do I really need pest control? And can I afford one more bill?

I had seen a little millipede the other day, and as he talked about the all-natural, family-safe product and their 20+ years in business, I found myself saying yes. I signed up.

And then, the universe did its thing.

The very next morning, I was practicing yoga in my little home studio and started noticing millipedes. Lots of them. Crawling in corners and showing up out of nowhere.

I laughed to myself and thought, “thank goodness I hired the exterminator”. I also frantically grabbed each one with a paper towel and escorted them outside. The bug guys were scheduled to come that day. Perfect timing.

And as silly as it sounds, the whole thing felt like a cosmic wink, a reminder of what happens when we stay open.

On Being Jaded (and Why I’m Choosing Something Else)

It’s so easy these days to shut down, to assume the worst, to say no before we even hear someone out. Everyone's selling something. Everyone’s got an agenda. Sometimes we agree to things we didn't mean to (thankfully, this was only a 1-year plan!). It's tempting to be cynical.

But living in a way where we are jaded, guarded, and suspicious of every interaction closes us off. And when we’re closed off, we miss out.

We miss out on small opportunities. On kindness. On connection. On stories. On unexpected blessings. On pest control.

I shared this quote recently, and it keeps coming back to me:

“The world will give you plenty of reasons to be jaded. But I’m choosing cautious optimism, because hope with boundaries is still hope.”

I’ve had my fair share of heartbreak. I’ve gone through a divorce. I’ve had to build a life back from scratch. I know what it’s like to harden to survive.

But what good does it do us to stay hard?

If anything, it just isolates us. And it dims our own light.

I’ve been too open in the past. I’ve let my boundaries slip. I’m learning. But I’d still rather live fully, with the messy ups and downs, than play it safe and stay stuck.

A Meditation Teacher Once Said…

“How boring would it be to watch a movie about a hero who never faced adversity?”

We admire people who go through something and grow from it. We root for them. We become them when we open the door, literally or metaphorically, and see what comes in.

This Week’s Mantra:

Rooted in Reality. Open to Light.

Strong boundaries, soft heart. A little skeptical? Sure. But not so jaded that we shut ourselves off from life, love, or bug prevention.

Stay grounded. Stay kind. Stay curious.
And when a young guy knocks on your door on a 90-degree day, maybe hear him out.

Close your eyes, soften into your breath, and once you feel relaxed, start to repeat gently in your mind:

Rooted in Reality. Open to Light.

Rooted in Reality. Open to Light.

Rooted in Reality. Open to Light.