When we think of ourselves as separate from others, it is easy to make others into the "enemy." When we think of ourselves as One, from one source, of one being, of one substance, as part of the whole of the Universe, then everyone is a reflection of ourselves. We can learn from everyone, from each situation, without regarding something as "bad," or "evil," or "awful." Every situation is only another opportunity to learn.
For example, someone who is present in my life almost every single day is someone who I would not choose to have present in my life almost every single day! For months, I used precious time and energy trying to change this person... although most of us do it all the time, I'm sure we all know it is impossible to change someone else! But that's what I did. I thought about him, about how I would respond to him, about what I would say, about how I could make him think differently.
Then, I put a note on my desk: "What does he do that is hidden in my shadow?" In that moment, I was empowered, empowered to look at myself, who is someone I might be able to change, just a little! I changed the energy of my relationship to the one who had dominated my thoughts and actions. I changed the way I looked at the other person. I changed myself!
Warmly,
meb
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Pay attention!
"Pay attention!" sounds like the voice of an elementary school teacher to an unruly class. But "pay attention" can be the way into your spiritual life. "Pay attention" can be the words you use to bring yourself into the moment, and into what is really happening in your life, what is really important.
"Pay attention" invites you to pay less attention to the harsh critic that lives inside so many of us. Let's face it - we often cannot give ourselves a break! The harsh critic makes for a difficult world - a world where we blame others and find it hard to forgive others because we cannot forgive ourselves. Instead of judging everything you do, simply "pay attention" to yourself, to your thoughts, to your actions, to your feelings. Notice how you respond today.
When we don't "pay attention," we live our lives unconsciously. The spiritual life invites us to be conscious of our own actions and reactions to life. When we live life in an un-conscious way, we harm ourselves and others. When we are conscious, we become aware that we have choices, in every moment. When we "pay attention," we slow down our reaction time and we learn to respond, rather than to react. We can choose to be kind instead of harsh, we can choose to be sad instead of angry. The choices are endless.
And the choices begin when you "pay attention!"
Warmly,
meb
"Pay attention" invites you to pay less attention to the harsh critic that lives inside so many of us. Let's face it - we often cannot give ourselves a break! The harsh critic makes for a difficult world - a world where we blame others and find it hard to forgive others because we cannot forgive ourselves. Instead of judging everything you do, simply "pay attention" to yourself, to your thoughts, to your actions, to your feelings. Notice how you respond today.
When we don't "pay attention," we live our lives unconsciously. The spiritual life invites us to be conscious of our own actions and reactions to life. When we live life in an un-conscious way, we harm ourselves and others. When we are conscious, we become aware that we have choices, in every moment. When we "pay attention," we slow down our reaction time and we learn to respond, rather than to react. We can choose to be kind instead of harsh, we can choose to be sad instead of angry. The choices are endless.
And the choices begin when you "pay attention!"
Warmly,
meb
Monday, January 28, 2008
Identify with your spirit
How do you identify yourself? If you're at a party, the most likely question you'll be asked by a stranger is: what do you do? That's an easy way to make contact with a new person, to have a way to start a conversation.
Most of us do identify with what we do. We're a mom, a dad, a teacher, a doctor, an office manager, a beautician, an artist. All of these are roles, and of course, these roles are important.
But our roles are not who we are. We are so much more than our roles. We are - spirit - a part of the whole, of the Universe, of the cosmos. We are so much more than our roles.
Practice this for a day: identify with your spirit. See what happens. Remember that you are so much more than your ordinary worries, your problem relationships, your ability to make decision. Identify with the larger you, the one who has been leading you all along.
As you begin to identify more with your spirit, you will find that you look for the spirit in others, as well.
Warmly,
meb
Most of us do identify with what we do. We're a mom, a dad, a teacher, a doctor, an office manager, a beautician, an artist. All of these are roles, and of course, these roles are important.
But our roles are not who we are. We are so much more than our roles. We are - spirit - a part of the whole, of the Universe, of the cosmos. We are so much more than our roles.
Practice this for a day: identify with your spirit. See what happens. Remember that you are so much more than your ordinary worries, your problem relationships, your ability to make decision. Identify with the larger you, the one who has been leading you all along.
As you begin to identify more with your spirit, you will find that you look for the spirit in others, as well.
Warmly,
meb
Sunday, January 27, 2008
What do you want?
"Ask, and it shall be given..."
I have found these words, the words of Jesus, to be perfectly, perfectly true. And I have not found these words to be about some "pie in the sky." Instead, I find them to be grounded in the reality of living an ordinary human life - my life.
"Ask, and it shall be given," implies that we ask for what we want in our lives. That doesn't mean things will magically appear. We will have to work for what we want. And we will have to take responsibility for what we want. If we want a safer, more humane existance than we are living now, then we will have to take the steps to get there. If we want a life free from loneliness, then we will have to look for good people to be our friend; we'll have to get out of the house and find some good people. We'll have to ask ourselves: where would I find some good people, people who will care about me? And we'll go to that place, wherever it may be.
"Ask, and it shall be given" also implies that we are not the victims of our fate.
It implies that we have the power to ask ourselves and God: "What do I want?" For most of us, that means we will have to carefully think about what we want. Do you want work that is more meaningful than what you do now? Do you want more money for what you do? Do you want your children to grow up in a caring environment, free from drama? These are all important.
We're still fairly new into this New Year, 2008. If you haven't taken the time to think about what you want, then do it now. Even looking at your calendar and marking off an hour to yourself to sit and think is a start. Then, look inside yourself and ask: "What do I want? What do I really want?"
Warmly,
meb
I have found these words, the words of Jesus, to be perfectly, perfectly true. And I have not found these words to be about some "pie in the sky." Instead, I find them to be grounded in the reality of living an ordinary human life - my life.
"Ask, and it shall be given," implies that we ask for what we want in our lives. That doesn't mean things will magically appear. We will have to work for what we want. And we will have to take responsibility for what we want. If we want a safer, more humane existance than we are living now, then we will have to take the steps to get there. If we want a life free from loneliness, then we will have to look for good people to be our friend; we'll have to get out of the house and find some good people. We'll have to ask ourselves: where would I find some good people, people who will care about me? And we'll go to that place, wherever it may be.
"Ask, and it shall be given" also implies that we are not the victims of our fate.
It implies that we have the power to ask ourselves and God: "What do I want?" For most of us, that means we will have to carefully think about what we want. Do you want work that is more meaningful than what you do now? Do you want more money for what you do? Do you want your children to grow up in a caring environment, free from drama? These are all important.
We're still fairly new into this New Year, 2008. If you haven't taken the time to think about what you want, then do it now. Even looking at your calendar and marking off an hour to yourself to sit and think is a start. Then, look inside yourself and ask: "What do I want? What do I really want?"
Warmly,
meb
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Listening to your body -
When I am stressed, or moving too fast, I don't breathe. I don't know if that's true for you, but it is true for me. I know, I know - if you aren't breathing, you aren't alive! But when we hold our body tightly wound by staying in a place of stress in our lives, our breath is contracted, barely there at all.
Think about your breath for a moment... there, feel your breath rise in your chest, as if in answer to being noticed. Think of it as your breath saying, "hello, I'm here..." In both ancient Greek and ancient Hebrew, the word for "breath" and the word for "Spirit" are the same word. Your Source, your heart, your soul, your True Self is intimately connected to your breath.
When I've been sitting still too long and I get up to take a walk, I can feel the shift in my body as the movement allows me to breathe more fully. If you've ever had a deep massage, you know the effect, too.
Give yourself the gift of your breath. Think about your breath - breathe! - as you go through your day. If you have a difficult task to accomplish, don't begin before you take a breath - take that moment to breathe - and then, do what you were going to do or say what you were going to say.
Or place your hand over your heart and breath. Give yourself the gift of breath. It costs nothing - and it means everything!
Warmly,
meb
Think about your breath for a moment... there, feel your breath rise in your chest, as if in answer to being noticed. Think of it as your breath saying, "hello, I'm here..." In both ancient Greek and ancient Hebrew, the word for "breath" and the word for "Spirit" are the same word. Your Source, your heart, your soul, your True Self is intimately connected to your breath.
When I've been sitting still too long and I get up to take a walk, I can feel the shift in my body as the movement allows me to breathe more fully. If you've ever had a deep massage, you know the effect, too.
Give yourself the gift of your breath. Think about your breath - breathe! - as you go through your day. If you have a difficult task to accomplish, don't begin before you take a breath - take that moment to breathe - and then, do what you were going to do or say what you were going to say.
Or place your hand over your heart and breath. Give yourself the gift of breath. It costs nothing - and it means everything!
Warmly,
meb
Friday, January 25, 2008
Learning
A creative, and life-giving way to live your life is to always be learning. When you start a project, begin with telling yourself that you can't make a mistake - you'll simply learn. Learn as you go. Learn from your relationships. Learn from your work. Learn how you think about things. Learn what your strengths are. Learn what your weaknesses are. Learn to love. Learn to cry. Learn to care for yourself. Learn what makes you happy. Learn what doesn't work for you. Learn to care for others.
Learn a new craft. Learn a new language. Learn to laugh at the things that have made you cry in the past. Learn to laugh at yourself. Learn to laugh when things are difficult with your loved one.
Be creative about your learning. Be as open-ended and open-minded about learning as you can!
Put a spark into your life! Be in a spirit of learning.
Warmly,
meb
Learn a new craft. Learn a new language. Learn to laugh at the things that have made you cry in the past. Learn to laugh at yourself. Learn to laugh when things are difficult with your loved one.
Be creative about your learning. Be as open-ended and open-minded about learning as you can!
Put a spark into your life! Be in a spirit of learning.
Warmly,
meb
Thursday, January 24, 2008
What do you want?
What do you want? What do you want for your life? What do you want for today?
One way to begin your day is to ask yourself what you want for today. "What do I want today?" Today, on a rainy, cold winter day in northern california (yes, it does get cold for us northern californians!) I wanted to be sure I had some moments of coziness. So when I got into my car I pushed the button for the seat warmer, and I put the heater up to its highest range. So today I was even cozy in my car! As I write to you now, I'm sitting by the fire, I've covered my feet with warm socks, and my plan is to stay inside for the evening.
Sometimes what we want is very small. We have to discover what small things make us happy. And when we wake in the morning, we can answer the question, "what do I want today?" with some small thing.
Sometimes what we want is large. Sometimes what we want won't be possible today. Asking for what you want is a way of praying - of asking the Universe, of asking God, of asking your Higher Self for what you want. Asking for what you want is a way of setting an intention. Maybe your answer to the question, "What do I want today?" will be the same day after day, for a long, long time.
Warmly,
meb
One way to begin your day is to ask yourself what you want for today. "What do I want today?" Today, on a rainy, cold winter day in northern california (yes, it does get cold for us northern californians!) I wanted to be sure I had some moments of coziness. So when I got into my car I pushed the button for the seat warmer, and I put the heater up to its highest range. So today I was even cozy in my car! As I write to you now, I'm sitting by the fire, I've covered my feet with warm socks, and my plan is to stay inside for the evening.
Sometimes what we want is very small. We have to discover what small things make us happy. And when we wake in the morning, we can answer the question, "what do I want today?" with some small thing.
Sometimes what we want is large. Sometimes what we want won't be possible today. Asking for what you want is a way of praying - of asking the Universe, of asking God, of asking your Higher Self for what you want. Asking for what you want is a way of setting an intention. Maybe your answer to the question, "What do I want today?" will be the same day after day, for a long, long time.
Warmly,
meb
Monday, January 21, 2008
Ambiguity
Today is an interesting day. For a few moments, rain is pouring down, straight down, like the water in a shower. At the same time, the sun seems to be shining, somewhere. Now, for a few moments, it looks like a perfectly sunny day.
Life would certainly be easier if it were one thing or the other. Happy or sad. Good or bad. Interesting or dull. But life is so often a mix of things. While we may be comfortable in one part of our life, we may be unhappy in another part of our life. Why can't we be just plain happy?
Lately I heard a quote: "Being an adult means being able to live with ambiguity."
As people who want answers, who want clarity, who want structure, it is often difficult to live in the mix of reality, where often life and people and situations are simply not clear. For me, prayer seems to be the only route I have to live within the ambiguity of my own life. One practice for your life at this time may be to simply live into whatever life offers you - clear or not. Drop into the reality of the ambiguity...
Warmly,
meb
Life would certainly be easier if it were one thing or the other. Happy or sad. Good or bad. Interesting or dull. But life is so often a mix of things. While we may be comfortable in one part of our life, we may be unhappy in another part of our life. Why can't we be just plain happy?
Lately I heard a quote: "Being an adult means being able to live with ambiguity."
As people who want answers, who want clarity, who want structure, it is often difficult to live in the mix of reality, where often life and people and situations are simply not clear. For me, prayer seems to be the only route I have to live within the ambiguity of my own life. One practice for your life at this time may be to simply live into whatever life offers you - clear or not. Drop into the reality of the ambiguity...
Warmly,
meb
Friday, January 18, 2008
Looking ---
What are you looking for? Are you looking for more free time? Are you looking for a new job? Are you looking for happiness? Are you looking for meaning?
Maybe you know someone who is always looking for something, someone, something different, something that will fulfill them and complete them and make them happy forever. They move to another city, another town, another job, another place - and the same old problems resurface.
If you are looking, you don't have to go far. What you are looking for is here, now. All you have to do is to stop, to pay attention, and to say, "yes!" to your true self, to your wise self, to the one who is connected with all of creation. Who you are looking for is within you now, waiting and hoping that one day you will stop looking - out there! - and know.
Warmly,
meb
Maybe you know someone who is always looking for something, someone, something different, something that will fulfill them and complete them and make them happy forever. They move to another city, another town, another job, another place - and the same old problems resurface.
If you are looking, you don't have to go far. What you are looking for is here, now. All you have to do is to stop, to pay attention, and to say, "yes!" to your true self, to your wise self, to the one who is connected with all of creation. Who you are looking for is within you now, waiting and hoping that one day you will stop looking - out there! - and know.
Warmly,
meb
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
How to pray when you can't pray.
Sometimes we seem to know all sorts of things we want to pray for and about. We may be accustomed to praying for others: we pray for the well-being, for the healing of our friends and loved ones, we pray for peace in the whole world. And don't forget to pray for yourself! There is nothing as powerful or as moving as prayer to change us - the only person we can change!
Sometimes we simply do not know what is troubling us, or we don't have any idea how to pray or what to pray about or for. Then, ask God to let you know what you are praying. Ask your Higher Power to make your prayer clear to you.
Through the years, as I have practiced the spiritual discipline of prayer, I have come to understand and to know that there is nothing more powerful than the acceptance that comes through prayer. There is nothing more powerful on earth than this acceptance. And I have also come to know that sometimes I have to pay attention to what my deepest intention is, to learn what it is I am truly praying for.
Prayer itself is a great teacher. I think that if everyone on earth knew what prayer really is, no one would consider going through their lives without prayer.
Even when you can't pray, you can pray.
Warmly,
meb
Sometimes we simply do not know what is troubling us, or we don't have any idea how to pray or what to pray about or for. Then, ask God to let you know what you are praying. Ask your Higher Power to make your prayer clear to you.
Through the years, as I have practiced the spiritual discipline of prayer, I have come to understand and to know that there is nothing more powerful than the acceptance that comes through prayer. There is nothing more powerful on earth than this acceptance. And I have also come to know that sometimes I have to pay attention to what my deepest intention is, to learn what it is I am truly praying for.
Prayer itself is a great teacher. I think that if everyone on earth knew what prayer really is, no one would consider going through their lives without prayer.
Even when you can't pray, you can pray.
Warmly,
meb
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Look for beauty
A spiritual practice that can be practiced at any moment is to look for beauty. We live in a fast-paced culture, filled with distractions that are meant to make life easier for us. At the same time, our fast-paced culture robs us of the ability to see beauty all around us. When you make "look for beauty" your spiritual practice, the world can open to you. Your own life will be filled with beauty - and you will also have the opportunity to open the lives of others to beauty.
As we all know, the newspapers, the radio and the barrage of information we receive is not filled with beauty. After awhile, we come to think of the world as dangerous, as people who do not care for one another, as a world devoid of feeling and beauty. To begin to make "look for beauty" your spiritual practice is to begin to open a door into the world which also surrounds us, beyond and within the buzz of the information which takes so much of our attention.
How about this? As you walk to your car, smell the air. See the colors around you. Watch an animal walk across the street. See the plant, carefully placed on your neighbor's balcony. What catches your eye? What color do you see on a foggy day? When you say, "good morning" as you enter your office, look into the eyes of the person you are greeting. Put some feeling into your, "good morning!" Even that is a thing of beauty!
One day I was stopped at one of the dreariest corners in my neighborhood, waiting for the light to change. As I sat in my car, I happened to notice a flock of pigeons circling the huge city corner in a wide arc above the buildings. As I sat waiting for the light to change, I became changed for a few moments, watching the beauty of these ordinary - and often pesty - critters flying overhead. For a moment, I didn't even want the light to change, so I could get home! I am grateful for that moment of beauty. I will look for it again, and I will look for others.
Warmly,
meb
As we all know, the newspapers, the radio and the barrage of information we receive is not filled with beauty. After awhile, we come to think of the world as dangerous, as people who do not care for one another, as a world devoid of feeling and beauty. To begin to make "look for beauty" your spiritual practice is to begin to open a door into the world which also surrounds us, beyond and within the buzz of the information which takes so much of our attention.
How about this? As you walk to your car, smell the air. See the colors around you. Watch an animal walk across the street. See the plant, carefully placed on your neighbor's balcony. What catches your eye? What color do you see on a foggy day? When you say, "good morning" as you enter your office, look into the eyes of the person you are greeting. Put some feeling into your, "good morning!" Even that is a thing of beauty!
One day I was stopped at one of the dreariest corners in my neighborhood, waiting for the light to change. As I sat in my car, I happened to notice a flock of pigeons circling the huge city corner in a wide arc above the buildings. As I sat waiting for the light to change, I became changed for a few moments, watching the beauty of these ordinary - and often pesty - critters flying overhead. For a moment, I didn't even want the light to change, so I could get home! I am grateful for that moment of beauty. I will look for it again, and I will look for others.
Warmly,
meb
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Trusting
Omar Khayyam, The Rubaiyat:
"Why ponder thus the future to forsee,
and jade thy brain to vain perplexity?
Cast off thy care, leave Allah's plans to him -
He formed them all without consulting thee."
Some things that happen in our lives seem so big that there seems to be nothing else to do except to trust them to God.
In daily life, however, each moment can be lived in trust - or fear.
Our minds move into the future or look into the past - often switching with lightening speed. Trust involves another part of ourselves, our hearts, our whole selves. Trust encourages us to take each moment as it is. Something we name as bad or wrong may not hold that end. We don't know at the time. We don't have the sight or the wisdom to know.
Trust is another thing. Trust is faith lived, lived in each moment, in each day, in each relationship, in each event.
Free yourself! Notice the rapid movement of your mind and simply let it be. Instead, lead with your heart. Trust.
Warmly,
meb
"Why ponder thus the future to forsee,
and jade thy brain to vain perplexity?
Cast off thy care, leave Allah's plans to him -
He formed them all without consulting thee."
Some things that happen in our lives seem so big that there seems to be nothing else to do except to trust them to God.
In daily life, however, each moment can be lived in trust - or fear.
Our minds move into the future or look into the past - often switching with lightening speed. Trust involves another part of ourselves, our hearts, our whole selves. Trust encourages us to take each moment as it is. Something we name as bad or wrong may not hold that end. We don't know at the time. We don't have the sight or the wisdom to know.
Trust is another thing. Trust is faith lived, lived in each moment, in each day, in each relationship, in each event.
Free yourself! Notice the rapid movement of your mind and simply let it be. Instead, lead with your heart. Trust.
Warmly,
meb
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
"Pray for your enemies..."
One of the most remembered - and perhaps most controversial - sayings of Jesus was to "love your enemies, and pray for those who hurt you." While we may hear these words from time to time and wonder about them, sometimes, often we do not put them into practice.
Maybe there is someone in your life who is causing you a lot of grief. "Someone" may be your spouse, a co-worker, your partner, a child, a neighbor. Let's call this person your "enemy" for the moment, since there are lots of ways to define "enemy." How do you usually handle the "someone" who is causing you grief? Most of us find someone who will listen to us complain; or we worry about that person, playing over conversations with them in our head, over and over again; maybe we dramatize them as evil or more having more power to hurt us than they actually have; maybe we look for people who will take our side and at the same time side against the other person. There are other ways we handle an "enemy," the usual ways. You know what they are.
There is another approach. That approach is to pray for your enemies. That's right. Pray for the one who has hurt you. Pray for them to heal yourself! Pray for their best interests. Pray for them to receive what they need. Pray for the best to come to them. Simply see them bathed in Love's Light. Pray for your enemies.
Make this your spiritual practice. See what happens. In my own life, I have experienced dramatic changes in my relationship to someone who has been a thorn in my side, when I have prayed for them.
I have to believe that the world would be a safer, more sane place if we all prayed for our enemies. Who knows what could happen?
Warmly,
meb
Maybe there is someone in your life who is causing you a lot of grief. "Someone" may be your spouse, a co-worker, your partner, a child, a neighbor. Let's call this person your "enemy" for the moment, since there are lots of ways to define "enemy." How do you usually handle the "someone" who is causing you grief? Most of us find someone who will listen to us complain; or we worry about that person, playing over conversations with them in our head, over and over again; maybe we dramatize them as evil or more having more power to hurt us than they actually have; maybe we look for people who will take our side and at the same time side against the other person. There are other ways we handle an "enemy," the usual ways. You know what they are.
There is another approach. That approach is to pray for your enemies. That's right. Pray for the one who has hurt you. Pray for them to heal yourself! Pray for their best interests. Pray for them to receive what they need. Pray for the best to come to them. Simply see them bathed in Love's Light. Pray for your enemies.
Make this your spiritual practice. See what happens. In my own life, I have experienced dramatic changes in my relationship to someone who has been a thorn in my side, when I have prayed for them.
I have to believe that the world would be a safer, more sane place if we all prayed for our enemies. Who knows what could happen?
Warmly,
meb
Monday, January 7, 2008
Staying Grounded
I have struggled my whole life to "stay grounded." What I mean by "staying grounded," is to stay centered and in touch with myself even when difficulties arise. Most of us are focused "in our heads." While "our heads" have given us many gifts, they cannot help us to stay grounded and centered, in a place that encourages safety and a sense of peace to all concerned - even the one who seems to be giving us trouble.
How to stay grounded? Well, of course, like most things in life, we don't do this perfectly. I remember a story I heard of a Zen master being asked by her students: how do you stay centered all the time? She laughed and told them it was not that she did not lose her ground, her center, it was simply that she had many, many ways to return to center when she was thrown off!
How to stay grounded? One simple way is to think about the soles of your feet! Simply take a moment to notice that you are not just the thoughts in your head, you are not only your heart pounding wildly in your chest, you are not only the tightness in your neck and shoulders. You are also your whole body, right down to the soles of your feet. Notice this now. Notice the soles of your feet.
When you get up from your chair and walk across the room, notice the soles of your feet. Remember that your legs are part of you, your hips, your waist, your torso, your head. You have a whole self. A whole body. Your wisdom and power and center are not simply in your head - your wisdom and power and center are in the soles of your feet!
Warmly,
meb
How to stay grounded? Well, of course, like most things in life, we don't do this perfectly. I remember a story I heard of a Zen master being asked by her students: how do you stay centered all the time? She laughed and told them it was not that she did not lose her ground, her center, it was simply that she had many, many ways to return to center when she was thrown off!
How to stay grounded? One simple way is to think about the soles of your feet! Simply take a moment to notice that you are not just the thoughts in your head, you are not only your heart pounding wildly in your chest, you are not only the tightness in your neck and shoulders. You are also your whole body, right down to the soles of your feet. Notice this now. Notice the soles of your feet.
When you get up from your chair and walk across the room, notice the soles of your feet. Remember that your legs are part of you, your hips, your waist, your torso, your head. You have a whole self. A whole body. Your wisdom and power and center are not simply in your head - your wisdom and power and center are in the soles of your feet!
Warmly,
meb
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Enjoying what is given -
As I go through life, I am learning to enjoy every moment more. This has not been easy! Today as I look out my window, rain is pelting down and the wind is blowing hard. Here I am, inside my warm house, sitting by the fire, listening to gentle, favorite music. I can tell you that winter weather - snow or rain, which is winter here -has not always been my favorite weather. I prefer the sunshine to the rain.
As I go through life, though, I am learning to appreciate the beauty in any time, in any place, in any face. I am looking more closely at what I see. I am stopping more often to bend down to look at a flower, to pet a cat, to smell a rose. I am reaching for the child inside of me who knew what it was like to walk close to the earth and to be delighted at every new thing.
Like you, I have lots of things on my agenda. I have important meetings to go to, I have unfinished business, I have things I have to do. And I have this life - as it is given to me - to enjoy.
I can fret about the rain or I can be grateful for the beauty of winter wind and a warm house.
Warmly,
meb
As I go through life, though, I am learning to appreciate the beauty in any time, in any place, in any face. I am looking more closely at what I see. I am stopping more often to bend down to look at a flower, to pet a cat, to smell a rose. I am reaching for the child inside of me who knew what it was like to walk close to the earth and to be delighted at every new thing.
Like you, I have lots of things on my agenda. I have important meetings to go to, I have unfinished business, I have things I have to do. And I have this life - as it is given to me - to enjoy.
I can fret about the rain or I can be grateful for the beauty of winter wind and a warm house.
Warmly,
meb
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Choose Simplicity
Whatever you do in this New Year, choose simplicity. Don't try to figure everything out. Don't try to strategize your every move. Don't try to do more than one thing at a time.
Enjoy what is simple. Watch the sunset. Pet an animal. Smile at a baby. Look into someone's eyes. Say "I love you," to someone you love. Give a gift - a free gift. Notice when a bird sings. Feel the wind on your face.
Don't try to do too much today. If you must have a "to do" list, keep it short.
Next time you take a breath, say: "thank you."
Warmly,
meb
Enjoy what is simple. Watch the sunset. Pet an animal. Smile at a baby. Look into someone's eyes. Say "I love you," to someone you love. Give a gift - a free gift. Notice when a bird sings. Feel the wind on your face.
Don't try to do too much today. If you must have a "to do" list, keep it short.
Next time you take a breath, say: "thank you."
Warmly,
meb
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