Today I took the bus from Niagara Falls to Stratford, and it took about six hours! It would have taken half that time in a car. Anywho, I had some time in between buses in downtown Toronto, so I walked around savouring the city. I’m not a big fan of Toronto, but it is nice to go to any city every once in while, because usually my life is suburban/rural hell.
Morgan Harper NIchols says it well. “Living in the moment is learning how to live between the big moments. It is learning how to make the most of the in-betweens and having the audacity to make those moments just as exciting.”
I expressed this in a short poem I wrote in 2009 that I didn’t fully appreciate at the time. I find that many poems I write grow in meaning for me over the years. I attended a workshop many years ago and one of the speakers who was a published author said that we who write frequently write beyond our present day self awareness and then grow into it!
Hears the poem I titled “Place or Space?”
Stop worrying about place.
Start focusing on space.
Am I giving myself space—
To see
To hear
To care
To share
To Be all I want to Be
An instrument of compassion
For both you and me.
Last week
my car wouldn’t start . . .
the battery was dead.
It was just a fact.
I gnashed my teeth a bit
over my husband’s reaction
of how it was going to cost a fair amount of money,
and would disrupt the day we had planned,
but I was fine with it.
The situation would take care of itself in due time.
The challenge for me
is to be more aware,
more mindful of other people’s reactions
in moments for which I don’t tend to be grateful.
I’ve come far enough
where it didn’t ruin my day that the battery died . . .
and was rather quickly resigned to the expense
as well as to the imposition on my day,
but I found my my husband’s utter disgruntlement
upsetting,
and could only understand it
if I was present to his state of mind.
So instead of entering into the dance,
I savored it,
and saw very clearly in his behavior
how ridiculous I am
when it’s me that gets sucked down that rabbit hole of discontent.
This reminds me
that I also have something to gain
when I pause
and appreciate those moments
that do not elicit pleasant feelings.
I think it’s especially hard sometimes with a partner’s reaction. It gets weird and personal really quickly. To you and your awareness, I say good job!
By taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, I come back to this moment with gratitude. Gratitude that I have this moment. Whether I’m driving somewhere or working on something or just taking a moment to pause, I can find something to be grateful for. Even if it’s just this breath.
I’ve been pausing before eating or drinking to notice and appreciate the food and beverages I consume and where it came from. Sometimes it’s my own labor of growing and preserving. Often it’s the labor of others, whether it’s bread from the bakery down the street, eggs from the little farm stand on the way to the bakery or from the farmers market, apples grown a bit farther afield but still somewhat local (Cosmic Crisp, developed by researchers at my alma mater Washington State University, can only be licensed for commercial production in the state). Always, always, it’s the life force of Nature flowing through everything.
“Despite all our accomplishments, we owe our existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact it rains.” — Paul Harvey
In the 100 Days of Gratitude practice, day 9 focused on Living Life as a Gift by having us focus on one of our senses for the day. I chose the sense of touch, and WOW! What I had missed in moving through the world on “touch autopilot” was just how much pleasure so much of what I touch brings. The doorknob to leave my apartment is smooth and cool on a summers day. The foam of my shampoo is a delightful lather in my hand. The rug under my bare feet is soft and a bit scratchy at the same time–a pleasing combination.
This exercise offered both savoring and mindfulness to me, and I know it can apply to all of my senses. I hope to return to this exercise often to savor my days in mindfulness and joy.
By practicing self-awareness, surrender, and gratefulness throughout the day. Self-awareness familiarizes me with my patterns, so when I thump with anger while hungry, for example, I can think “oh, there I go again,” and witness the sensations in my body with love. Surrender means stepping back inwardly and not pursuing an agenda of forward motion–instead being attuned to the natural flow that runs through life like a golden river. Gratefulness is noticing what’s around me with thanks. The savoring extends naturally from there.
It’s funny . . .
I do that too,
dear Drea.
I think the same thing,
“oh, here we go again,”
whenever an old behavior pops up.
It’s rather like
noticing that a child
is going into tantrum mode . . .
“oh yes,
I recognize this thought.” 🙂
By being mindful of my mind and rumination or other useless thoughts. When I arrive home in the here and the now I can become grateful for everything. Thank you so much . ☺️
As many of you have shared, slowing down to take it all in is a path to savoring where ever we are. I have a golden opportunity today as I head home from a grand music festival with old friends and new friends in Canada. Today’s quote was very inspiring to me. 🌺
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Today I took the bus from Niagara Falls to Stratford, and it took about six hours! It would have taken half that time in a car. Anywho, I had some time in between buses in downtown Toronto, so I walked around savouring the city. I’m not a big fan of Toronto, but it is nice to go to any city every once in while, because usually my life is suburban/rural hell.
Morgan Harper NIchols says it well. “Living in the moment is learning how to live between the big moments. It is learning how to make the most of the in-betweens and having the audacity to make those moments just as exciting.”
I expressed this in a short poem I wrote in 2009 that I didn’t fully appreciate at the time. I find that many poems I write grow in meaning for me over the years. I attended a workshop many years ago and one of the speakers who was a published author said that we who write frequently write beyond our present day self awareness and then grow into it!
Hears the poem I titled “Place or Space?”
Stop worrying about place.
Start focusing on space.
Am I giving myself space—
To see
To hear
To care
To share
To Be all I want to Be
An instrument of compassion
For both you and me.
”To Be all I want to Be
An instrument of compassion
For both you and me.”
This
is what I want my life to be too,
dear Carol Ann. ♥
I could incorporate more moments of savoring into my daily life by deliberately pausing more frequently for increased self-awareness, and presence.
Last week
my car wouldn’t start . . .
the battery was dead.
It was just a fact.
I gnashed my teeth a bit
over my husband’s reaction
of how it was going to cost a fair amount of money,
and would disrupt the day we had planned,
but I was fine with it.
The situation would take care of itself in due time.
The challenge for me
is to be more aware,
more mindful of other people’s reactions
in moments for which I don’t tend to be grateful.
I’ve come far enough
where it didn’t ruin my day that the battery died . . .
and was rather quickly resigned to the expense
as well as to the imposition on my day,
but I found my my husband’s utter disgruntlement
upsetting,
and could only understand it
if I was present to his state of mind.
So instead of entering into the dance,
I savored it,
and saw very clearly in his behavior
how ridiculous I am
when it’s me that gets sucked down that rabbit hole of discontent.
This reminds me
that I also have something to gain
when I pause
and appreciate those moments
that do not elicit pleasant feelings.
The negative
has something offer me too. ♥
I think it’s especially hard sometimes with a partner’s reaction. It gets weird and personal really quickly. To you and your awareness, I say good job!
It’s hard work,
dear Drea . . .
I have to practice. ♥
I just replaced my car battery a few weeks ago too – totally can relate.
🙏
By taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, I come back to this moment with gratitude. Gratitude that I have this moment. Whether I’m driving somewhere or working on something or just taking a moment to pause, I can find something to be grateful for. Even if it’s just this breath.
Breath–yes. So easily forgotten.
Really,
this breath
and this moment
are all we have,
dear Charlie . . .
you honor both so graciously. ♥
Yes, Charlie. “1 mind equals 1 breath” Phil Jackson.
I’ve been pausing before eating or drinking to notice and appreciate the food and beverages I consume and where it came from. Sometimes it’s my own labor of growing and preserving. Often it’s the labor of others, whether it’s bread from the bakery down the street, eggs from the little farm stand on the way to the bakery or from the farmers market, apples grown a bit farther afield but still somewhat local (Cosmic Crisp, developed by researchers at my alma mater Washington State University, can only be licensed for commercial production in the state). Always, always, it’s the life force of Nature flowing through everything.
“Despite all our accomplishments, we owe our existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact it rains.” — Paul Harvey
I miss Paul Harvey, along with his segment ‘The Rest of the Story’.
Thanks, Barb. Love this!
“Despite all our accomplishments, we owe our existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact it rains.”
— Paul Harvey
I would add the presence of bees to that list,
dear Barb. 🙂
The pollinators! Don’t forget the pollinators!
In the 100 Days of Gratitude practice, day 9 focused on Living Life as a Gift by having us focus on one of our senses for the day. I chose the sense of touch, and WOW! What I had missed in moving through the world on “touch autopilot” was just how much pleasure so much of what I touch brings. The doorknob to leave my apartment is smooth and cool on a summers day. The foam of my shampoo is a delightful lather in my hand. The rug under my bare feet is soft and a bit scratchy at the same time–a pleasing combination.
This exercise offered both savoring and mindfulness to me, and I know it can apply to all of my senses. I hope to return to this exercise often to savor my days in mindfulness and joy.
Practice
can bring this kind of awareness
to a deeper level,
dear Clay,
but I enjoy,
and need,
reminders like this from time to time. ♥
By practicing self-awareness, surrender, and gratefulness throughout the day. Self-awareness familiarizes me with my patterns, so when I thump with anger while hungry, for example, I can think “oh, there I go again,” and witness the sensations in my body with love. Surrender means stepping back inwardly and not pursuing an agenda of forward motion–instead being attuned to the natural flow that runs through life like a golden river. Gratefulness is noticing what’s around me with thanks. The savoring extends naturally from there.
☀️
Drea, I like the oway you explain the concept of surrendering. It’s the opposite of what I call “String-pulling.”
Thank you for the reminder to surrender.
Dropping that defensive layer and allowing life to flow through me, is such a key.
I’m with you, Charlie. We just need to remember that 1 breath equals 1 mind.
It’s funny . . .
I do that too,
dear Drea.
I think the same thing,
“oh, here we go again,”
whenever an old behavior pops up.
It’s rather like
noticing that a child
is going into tantrum mode . . .
“oh yes,
I recognize this thought.” 🙂
By being mindful of my mind and rumination or other useless thoughts. When I arrive home in the here and the now I can become grateful for everything. Thank you so much . ☺️
I am echoing the comments but pay attention and not multi-task.
Work smarter, not harder.
As many of you have shared, slowing down to take it all in is a path to savoring where ever we are. I have a golden opportunity today as I head home from a grand music festival with old friends and new friends in Canada. Today’s quote was very inspiring to me. 🌺
Me, too!