When we focus our attention on our breath,
Thich Nhat Hanh
we find out very quickly that we are a living reality,
present here and now,
sitting on this beautiful planet Earth.
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Significance of Living
Keep alive the dream; for as long as a man has a dream in his heart, he cannot lose the significance of living.
Howard Thurman -
1132
Reflecting back over my life I see a pattern where I’ve lived much of my life seeking to fill some void. I’m now aware this void is more of a spiritual hunger. It’s not a religious hunger, although I looked there. Maybe this assumed void has really been some subconscious spiritual part of me calling from within. It’s a new way of thinking and living in my life and sharing a bit of that with you.
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Oh, to be a squirrel
Outside my condo is a squirrels nest located in the upper branches of a tree. I enjoy observing their daily life. At times I wonder what it would be like to be one of them. As aging causes me to slow down with aches, pops and cracks I’m envious of their enormous energy. They scurry everywhere, always on the alert for danger but living life to the fullest. Their day seems to be full of searching for food, chasing each other in a game of tag or claiming territory and chattering. Their beautiful fluffy tail that makes them cute and is also works as a warm blanket for colder weather. They twitch those tails when they are scared, mad, uneasy, a predator is in the area and/or a way to leave their scent from their glands to other squirrels. The twitching of their tail is a way for them to get the message to the other squirrels that danger is around. It is my warning to keep my distance.
They are not worried about mortgage payments, unnecessary wars, or what’s happening on facebook. After a busy day and the sun falls below the horizon they climb up to their nests made of twigs and leaves and curl up for the night. I imagine sleep comes quickly as nature rocks them to sleep. Yep, life is about living it a day at a time.
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White knuckles
Working as a flight attendant I get to see people who are afraid to fly. They will have a tight grip on the armrest, breathing is short, eyes are open wide and constantly searching all that is around them, ears are alert to every sound. Once the aircraft lifts from the ground their bodies tighten and become rigid. Fear is in control.
Fear runs ramp-id in our world, cheating some of us from living life to its fullest. The biggest regrets in my life have been those times I failed to try due to fear of failure, which is failure. I wonder how many images I have missed because I was white knuckling it. Each day I have the chance to experience life outside my comfort zone and maybe learn something wonderful. It’s all about letting go and trusting.