Maria

And I always had this sense of like that being just myself was not enough. And I think that propelled me throughout my life. And so coming to the place where it would be OK to be myself, claim my own identity, I am. So my mother named me. I am Maria. Full sentence, stop. It's not my job. It's not the family that I'm in. I'm not somebody's niece, cousin, ex-wife, wife, friend. I am my own being.

And who is that?

And who is that?

And who is that?

There was no teaching that you're here, you're enough, sit down, it's okay. So I was like, oh, okay, we're going to go out and change the world. And if I'm not doing that, I'm not going to get loved.

There was no teaching that you're here, you're enough, sit down, it's okay. So I was like, oh, okay, we're going to go out and change the world. And if I'm not doing that, I'm not going to get loved.

There was no teaching that you're here, you're enough, sit down, it's okay. So I was like, oh, okay, we're going to go out and change the world. And if I'm not doing that, I'm not going to get loved.

Yeah, big time. You know, you were there. Yes. Hiding in the bathroom.

Yeah, big time. You know, you were there. Yes. Hiding in the bathroom.

Yeah, big time. You know, you were there. Yes. Hiding in the bathroom.

It's like, who is your friend? What is she doing? Where is she going? What has she got to offer at the table? What are you going to offer? Yes. What do you have to offer? And I was raised that way. And so what do I have to offer? So I would come prepared to the meal. I would come prepared to dinner. And I had the feeling that that's what was expected of me.

It's like, who is your friend? What is she doing? Where is she going? What has she got to offer at the table? What are you going to offer? Yes. What do you have to offer? And I was raised that way. And so what do I have to offer? So I would come prepared to the meal. I would come prepared to dinner. And I had the feeling that that's what was expected of me.

It's like, who is your friend? What is she doing? Where is she going? What has she got to offer at the table? What are you going to offer? Yes. What do you have to offer? And I was raised that way. And so what do I have to offer? So I would come prepared to the meal. I would come prepared to dinner. And I had the feeling that that's what was expected of me.

It never dawned on me that just being able to sit. alone with a person or just being on my own would be enough. And so I think I started to look at that. And I remember when I got separated, you gave me the gift of a meditation teacher. Yes. And you said... Meditation Bob. Meditation Bob. He came to the hotel. Yeah. And he said, I'm going to teach you how to meditate.

It never dawned on me that just being able to sit. alone with a person or just being on my own would be enough. And so I think I started to look at that. And I remember when I got separated, you gave me the gift of a meditation teacher. Yes. And you said... Meditation Bob. Meditation Bob. He came to the hotel. Yeah. And he said, I'm going to teach you how to meditate.

It never dawned on me that just being able to sit. alone with a person or just being on my own would be enough. And so I think I started to look at that. And I remember when I got separated, you gave me the gift of a meditation teacher. Yes. And you said... Meditation Bob. Meditation Bob. He came to the hotel. Yeah. And he said, I'm going to teach you how to meditate.

And I was like... How to quiet your mind. I could not. I could not. He realized after the four days that he was supposed to be there with me. He's like, I don't think this is a good time. to quiet your mind. But he literally sat with me from 10 seconds to 30 seconds to a minute to two minutes to that being now an integral part of my life.

And I was like... How to quiet your mind. I could not. I could not. He realized after the four days that he was supposed to be there with me. He's like, I don't think this is a good time. to quiet your mind. But he literally sat with me from 10 seconds to 30 seconds to a minute to two minutes to that being now an integral part of my life.

And I was like... How to quiet your mind. I could not. I could not. He realized after the four days that he was supposed to be there with me. He's like, I don't think this is a good time. to quiet your mind. But he literally sat with me from 10 seconds to 30 seconds to a minute to two minutes to that being now an integral part of my life.

But that allowed me to sit with myself, to be enough for myself and to start writing from this quiet place that I had never been in in my whole life.