What does it take to slow me down? Nature deliveries; it slows us down, like it or not! With weather, we lose all control as experienced particularly this winter. It was the good news, a relief that we were for a change out of the driver’s seat. Nature had delivered and had her way. I was relieved to have an opportunity to write, meditate, read, and do something outrageous, i.e., take a nap, like go back to bed and skip school. How delicious. The office would still be there tomorrow.
Control is definitely overrated, an illusion says she who likes her stuff in order, to know what is happening when, where, and with whom, and at what time. I admit, this is a part of who I am, the ever-prepared Girl Scout. And/but ultimately, I know we have little control over much of anything, or maybe none at all. We can dream of having it all in place all of the time but life has its’ way and brings what it brings. These slow-down moments when we’re out of our routine are times to be in gratitude for a break.
What’s with this need to re-act as if everything is an emergency? What we’ve come to think of as urgent might just be impatience or the need to feel important with all that we think we so urgently need to be doing. Do we really need to know it all, or have an answer, right here, right now?
Considering our attachment to our devices, I believe, we are addicted to knowing, talking, sharing, filling the airwaves while spending inordinate amounts of valuable time so not to be alone, or left out. What are we missing by interrupting all else to answer our cell? The world is most likely not (really) falling apart and the gain of being present in the moment, before so rudely interrupting ourselves, seems far greater.
Perhaps what’s most urgent is to distinguish what is urgent and what is not? What is our urgent and what is someone else's? What is real and what is not? Call our priorities selfish and/but if we are not caring for ourselves first before all else, we are of no use, or service, to others. You know the oxygen story on the airplane. It is a hard lesson to learn but a worthy one. When we are rested, listening attentively, focused, and allowing life to unfold, we are in the game of living alive.
I love the idea of ~ I'll know what I need to know when I need to know it. The needed information shows up, our intuition is working, others cross our path with exactly what we need to know. I especially enjoy not knowing tomorrow’s weather forecast. We know it will change so just relax, arrive at tomorrow, and voila, here is today’s version of the weather.
Carrot, my cat, teaches me much. In this moment, he is outside curiously focused on a pair of wrens building their nest in the eaves. His lead is profound ~ he is taking the time to notice the details of life and watching the excitement that Nature delivers in this welcome change of season; a new home is under construction and the ever playful crocus are popping up along the driveway. And there is nothing he had to-do to make this happen, except saunter outside, sit on the steps and watch. I want his life:)
Editor's Note:
On May 4, Jill will be facilitating “BeBold….allowing Spirit to Guide your Vision”. It will be presented at The Spiritual Life Center, in West Hartford, CT.
Illustrations by JB
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