Mairin McCracken
The Huddle #16: Battle of the Brains

I’ve spent a lot of time this week in a battle between left brain and right brain. Trying to find the balance between trusting my intuitive, creative side (right brain) and analyzing every situation (left brain). Our left brain is super helpful- it allows us problem solve, pushing us to control what we can, in the most efficient way possible. But, sometimes, our left brain overshadows our right brain, and what we want is to be in balance. Plus, the left brain can be a snobby little b*tch.
I like to believe I’ve been leaning in to my right brain side since before it was cool. I was the kid who believed in Santa for way too long. I read my horoscope. I love tarot cards and energy healing and weather reports (yes, these are in the same category).
I like to think of all of these little beliefs, as practice for the big stuff - preparing your right brain to take over when it’s truly needed, when the only path forward is trust in the universe (okay, maybe not the Santa thing).
As too many of you know, seeing a loved one fight cancer, or any trauma really, is a battle in its own right. You fight like hell, even when it’s crushing, even when it’s suffocating. You fight - but more importantly, you believe. You trust in medicine. You believe in thoughts and prayers. And you have faith that someday you will breathe again. It doesn’t always make sense to your left brain, but you lean into the faith anyway because you can’t take on everything at once.
Maybe instead of being at war with the universe- trying to think one step ahead of it- we can have a little bit of faith, and imagine that the universe is on our side. We don’t have to be rigid and analytical and right ALL the time. We can be soft and fluid and trusting.
No, not everything happens for a reason (barf), but maybe we can float the thought that there’s just a little bit of method to the madness.