The other day I awoke with a long list of things to get done. I was wondering if I had enough time to fit it all in and was feeling a sense of urgency to get going.
One of the items on my to-do list was to get the dogs out for a morning walk before heading off for a full day of teaching. I leashed them up and set off at a brisk pace because I had places to go, things to do and yes, people to see. Within the first five minutes, I was struck by the beauty of the day. It really hit me as though the Universe was reminding me to slow down and take it in.
The sun was out, the temperature seemed to be that perfect blend between a slight chill and a day filled with potential warmth and the SKY… wow…brilliant blue, just as the background color to this newsletter! This awe struck moment shifted my sense of urgency, from getting things done to that of being in the moment and enjoying the experience.
How often do we get distracted by the mechanics of the day and miss the sometimes obvious and more often subtle and sublime moments of being purely present? Part of slowing down, becoming more mindful of individual moments and tasks is experiencing gratitude for that particular moment. Even if it’s washing up dishes, sitting in traffic or doing our taxes.
If we shift our focus to accepting this moment for being what it is, for being a perfect reflection of where we are at in that moment without flying off into the future, we can begin to enjoy more and more moments of just being…not doing.
So, this weeks to-do list looks like this:
1. Write this newsletter;
2. Play tennis;
3. Go to the post office;
4. Go to work;
5. Just be
