Sheri Mabry Inc

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Good way to end the day

Laughter and wine, blankets and a dropping sun. Then hushed tones to witness a champagne sky as the fire falls behind the water. The rhythmic sound of clapping waves is joined by gentle clapping of spectators who gathered together in a quaint village to celebrate the ending of a day. I’ve said it before when I was a part of a similar evening, at the other end of the country… how wonderful it would be if EVERY collection of 24 hours, strangers to each other and friends that are forever would conclude their day by gathering together in appreciation and awe. What a beautiful way it would be to end each day.

Cold Yoga

Last night, eleven of us gathered for yoga. A cold night is the time to welcome a warm class. But I walked into the studio and the heater wasn’t working. Broken. Now what? It’s an old building. Sometimes, this is how it is. Still…a chilly space isn’t even close to ideal for yoga. So, when people arrived at class, I offered, “would you like to cancel class and wait til the heater is fixed?” No one left. Not one. Instead, they wore coats and warmed blankets next to space heaters. They joked about “cold yoga” vs “hot yoga.” They shuffled their mats around so they could share the warmer spots with one another. And they practiced yoga. This is how it goes in my classes. It is never perfect…but it always is what it is without much struggle. It is… Letting go of expectations. Having a different perspective. It is going with the flow in a balanced manner. Mostly, yoga in my humble studio is about the yogis who gather each week and show up on their mat with grace and dedication. I

Remembering

A week before Christmas, I visited my dad in the memory care unit. His face lit up when he saw me. “Sheri! My sister! You are here!” I’m mostly used to it now-- that I am sometimes his sister to him, sometimes his daughter. Sometimes I’m someone he simply knows he knows but he’s not sure how. After our visit that day, I remembered and found an email he had sent nine years ago. It was a photo of he and I, on a quiet boat ride just before sunset when the lake was still and the loons were calling. In the email subject line he had written only this quote: “Those were the days, my friend, I hoped they’d never end.” He emailed me that a year before my mom died. And just before his memory started to fade. As this 2021 sweep around the sun comes to a close, I’m reminded. With the wedding and the move of two daughters. Gatherings for yoga, sound, and meditation on the mat. Writing and art and editing. A book released. Hikes and bonfires, and shared bottles of wine. Relationships that are new,

A Story

I had a meeting a few months ago with a woman who wanted to hire me to write a book that would be a message of hope for children who have a life-threatening illness. This was a challenge for me as it was a different sort of picture book than those I’ve previously written. Plus-it was her story that I was to write. However, as I listened to the reasons why she wanted to share this message with children-I felt drawn to try for her. So I did. I used a lot of yoga when writing the book-I united both what I knew and what I needed to learn. I gave the child character strength and flexibility. I leaned into the discomfort of writing a book that was so clearly dealing with pain. I read the completed story to the woman and then gave her space to receive it. To go home and process. I wasn’t sure if she liked the story. Or what her family would think. I won’t share more details of the story I wrote or the pain, hope and healing that brought her to me-as these details aren’t my story to sh

Worthy Journey

A memory popped up today on Facebook. I took this photo three years ago, in India, of people making their way to the largest spiritual gathering on the planet. That was a tough trip for me. I was recovering emotionally and seeking peace through my practice. I was physically sick most of the 14 days. I bucket bathed in a hut and slept in a tent during 37 degree nights wearing a coat and hat to bed. And it was my first time alone and away after the end of my marriage. But I wouldn’t trade a moment of that journey. It helped me gain perspective, gratitude and humility. And spending hours in silence with eyes closed, seated and still, side by side with others that maybe did or maybe didn’t speak the same language as me, I came to learn a new and sacred meaning of “unity.” And that’s…how yoga works.

Unlikely Friendships

This charming illustration by Joanie Stone is from a story I wrote about the unlikely friendship between a girl and a chameleon and the love they struggle to find for each other. Today, I’ve been thinking about friendship and love. That gentle feeling you have when someone sees you-and knows exactly what you think and feel about nearly everything, because they think and feel nearly the same. How we are often drawn to those that have the same opinions, views, and perspectives. Who enjoy the same things we do, and who don’t deviate much from what we believe in. It’s a good thing. But then I wonder…how sometimes we walk away from those who don’t fill the checklist. How our paths were crossed with someone and perhaps we’ve missed an exquisite opportunity to learn, and grow…and love. This chameleon came close to deserting the girl in this story. Afterall, she wanted to adventure when he wanted to nap. She preferred cookies (apparently a devote vegan) over grasshoppers for snacks. And if