You do you

You do you 

You do you–or, in this case, me be me. That being also means action resonates with me. Just "coming into being" is a miracle that puts into motion a whole slew of bodily processes that then become automatic. That's why babies are so fascinated with themselves (what's this? It's a hand! How grand! And I can even open and close it! Look at that!) And they have every right to be excited. 

We take our inner workings for granted until they stop working. Think about something as vital as breath for a moment. If you start paying attention to it, at first your breathing gets out of whack because you never actually do anything–it does itself. Our lungs pump us with air and life without us being aware in the least, which is totally amazing. And if we concentrate on it and slow it down suddenly a lot of things start to make sense.

 I've always been drawn to the "you do you" idea even if I don't always "do me". It has such a different ring than "just be you", which I've heard a lot, too. But the latter is usually followed by the question, "How?" Really, how do I be me? In what way, what capacity? How can be such a confusing question! "You do you" is the answer to the how conundrum: just do the things you like, that make you feel like you.

So, last night I did me. I ordered a hot tea–or more precisely, an infusion. Everyone else had cold drinks–beer, white wine–frosty glasses with ice cubes. But I was tickled with my steamy beverage! I absolutely loved the perfect pot and the china cup. Just looking at them felt comforting, and the warm liquid even more so. It wasn't the tea I had ordered–lemon and ginger–but the sight of the rich red was even more pleasing. And the floral aroma (hibiscus?) was just what I needed.

So, I did me. I felt special and infused with me-ness and happy. As it should be when we are aligned with ourselves.

Text and photo: Kristen Mastromarchi