As the world awaits
What is next
I’m noticing more busy-ness
Around me
I have liked the less
Traffic of people and cars
Of noise
and calendars
I have liked the less
Demands from things
Schedules and appointments
Of have to’s and need to’s
I feel the changes
Silence has made
Deepen my inner world
And softening my gaze
Of the harshness I witness
In the rushing on edge
Of the thinking and planning
Of my days ahead
I know this comfort
That silence brings
Is summoned by my decision
Of the need to just be
I grant it to myself
When I choose to make the time
It’s my present to myself
And I accept that it’s mine
A promise to myself I make
In this pause of self-respect
For a moment to breathe
In silence and reflect.
Participants’ Reflections:
I was in Florida in February where I have a slower lifestyle. I talked to my spiritual director about being versus doing. She said maybe it’s not an either or. You can be “busy doing”, but there is “non-doing” which is doing with mindful action. Like walking, my husband takes walks with blinders while I do mindful walking. We can do things in a non-doing way. I thought of this because of your words “just be”. Just being used to mean “doing nothing” to me. But “being” can be more like non’doing.
True mindfulness in the moment
I remember seeing a meme image with a dog and a person. Above the dog is a thought bubble that says “mindful.” Above the person is the thought bubble “mind full”. You were the dog
My mom's visiting from Florida and has been keeping me mindful during this divorce. My mind is full due to a series of traumas I’ve had. Yesterday, we drove to Fruitlands which was beautiful in the clearing between the rain storms. We went to an apple orchard, and my mom was looking for a very specific sauce. She found it there and laughed when she saw it is made in Florida where she lives. We are getting close, she is saving me. My best friend says that my daughter is seeing my mom being a mom, and this will teach my daughter how I can be there for her.
Our emotions change from day to day. I totally forgot yesterday's intense meditation.
This being sheltered in place has caused me to become a new being. I’m getting up early for this meditation. I have gone inside more. I wonder if the country would have had a different response to recent deaths of African-Americans without this sheltering. I went to my old church’s website, the one I felt unwelcomed by for being gay. I was brought to tears when I saw pictures of people holding signs and banners welcoming LGBTs. I wish they had welcomed me. It’s sad that groups don’t all get rights timely.
I liked the words “need to just be”. Groups I am in are talking about social gatherings again. I fell jumbled. It has to be one step at a time. We have a need for people and want to jump into things. This group helps me not rush into social gatherings.