Inspiration and lightheartedness—Jack Kornfield, Al Franken and Michael Jordan

Elizabeth Prewitt PACEsConnection writer 8/3/172:37 PM

As Jack Kornfield describes how mindfulness practices empower you to carry on through difficulties in “Guided Meditations for Difficult Times: A Lamp in the Darkness,” he includes a wonderful quote from Michael Jordan:
“I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my basketball career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life but I still keep going out on the court. And that is why I succeed.”

When I played a portion of Kornfield’s audiobook for my meditation group that included this quote, my reaction was “who knew?” But it shouldn’t have been—you don’t have to follow sports to know that Michael Jordan takes risks (tried baseball after a long career basketball) and has endured tragedy (his father was murdered) with great courage.

Over dinner this week with my meditation group at a neighborhood restaurant, one of our members, Mary, posited that U.S. Senator Al Franken, from her home state of Minnesota, has the makings of a strong presidential candidate, pointing to his values, eloquence, and family story (he and his wife are basking in the joy of grandparenthood and she has an inspiring recovery story). In reading his new book (Giant of the Senate), Mary was reminded of the character that Franken once embodied, Stuart Smalley—a member of numerous 12-step programs and host of “Daily Affirmation” on SNL. In the book, Franken says Stuart Smalley is still with him, both in spirit and through tangibles—he keeps the wig and sweater he wore for the role. When Franken's wife told her husband that Smalley was dead, Franken said, no, he is very alive and would always be as old as he was, which was comforting. Mary recommended the book and urged me to google Stuart Smalley hosts Michael Jordan on Daily Affirmations. The clip is well worth 6 minutes of your day. I’m not sure who is better—Franken or Jordan. Honestly, both are priceless.

Laughter is the best medicine and gratitude is a necessity—so thank you to my meditation group, Jack Kornfield, Senator Franken, Stuart Smalley, and Michael Jordan.

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Donna JensonMember

Thanks Elizabeth, loved your posting and re-watching that great SNL bit with Franken & Jordan. You are so right about laughter as medicine.

8/7/1712:13 PM

Christine Cissy WhiteIt's not trauma-informed unless it's informed by trauma survivors.

Elizabeth:

This is awesome! I LOVE the Stuart Saves the Family. It's actually a part of my twisted pre-holiday ritual and I watch it each year before the holidays. It's sad, ridiculous and tragic but there's a scene where two characters talk and share. One offers to be the mother and one offers to be the father, roles they take on in friendship because they are not present in real life. I won't give away any of the scenes, but despite it being a comedy, it has real-life things that I can relate with deeply and that makes me laugh and cry (both are always healing for me). Truth. Complexity. Realness. Recovery. Healing. Hope. Humor. And then all together in one movie??? It's fabulous. It pokes fun at recovery while also celebrating the beauty of recovery. That's so rare.

My friend and I during hard times still quote this movie saying, "Can you get to a pound cake?"

I've not met anyone yet who has seen this move so I'm tickled to see mention of it here and a snippet from SNL. You made my day.

Thank you!
Cissy

8/7/178:58 AM