I have been blessed by mindful teachers my entire life! As a young child, my parents allowed me to be curious, exploratory, and even bored at times (boredom is a great way to practice mindfulness)! My earliest mindful memories come from playing in the woods and being absorbed by nature’s beauty and mystery. I thank my parents.

In my youth and teenage years, I was a competitive tennis player. I had coaches and trainers who understood sports psychology (applying mindfulness to control the central nervous system to enhance performance). I recall thinking some of their methods were “weird,” but they also worked, so I did not ask questions! I thank my coaches and trainers.

Also during this time, a tragic event confirmed for me that I was born to bring more peace to the world. I thought that I would fight for it and legislate it, so I decided to go to law school.

In my college years, I began truly understanding what mindfulness is and how powerful it is in mental health. This resulted from a long-term stalking situation and therapists who taught me to stay sane through intentionally employing mindfulness tools. I thank my therapists.

In my young years as a lawyer, I worked in shelters with people who were surviving domestic violence. My clients were strong and scared. We practiced mindful techniques together in the shelters and courthouses to bring more peace to intense and sometimes life-threatening situations. I also brought these techniques to inmates (called “anger management” in the ‘90s) in hopes that they would take these tools back out into the world with them. I thank the survivors for confirming for me the power of mindfulness.

Although the legal work was profound, I did not feel like I was creating enough peace in the world. I began my investigation into the education system and discovered Maria Montessori, with her focus on educating for peace. I thank all of my advisors and teachers for supporting me as I changed careers, got my masters in education, and began my new career as a Montessori teacher.

I became a mother to two beautiful daughters who showed me the impact of mindful practice in my role as their mother. They held me accountable to my daily practice as they could somehow sense when I skipped it (“Hey Mom, did you do your practice today?”). I thank my daughters for showing me how subtle mindfulness can be.

In my early 30s, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As a mother and highly active person, I was terrified. Through this journey, I learned the true depth of mindful practice and discovered that the right teachers will always show up at the right time if I am paying enough attention to notice them. I thank my teachers, most of whom became dear friends. I thank my doctor at Cleveland Clinic who recognized the importance of complimentary medical care and the mental health aspects of disease.

Finally, I thank everyone who has crossed my path in joyful and/or challenging ways. Acquaintances, friends, students, co-workers, partners have all helped me to live in curious and joyful ways, with reminders that a practice is not always easy, but is always worth it.