This is a short post to acknowledge my gratitude for yet another day; another birthday; another year of changes ahead… all good things!
I do not usually make a big deal for my birthday because it is a day like any other. However, it is a chance to be mindful of all that has led me this far. The hardest thing for many of us is to focus on today and nothing else. The pictures here are of books; reading materials that I refer to, almost daily… as a reminder that everyday is full of infinite possibilities. A gentle reminder that whatever action(s) I take today will affect what I do next. They also help to bring me “back to earth,” in the sense that in each of them I find ways to deal with whatever troubles me; no matter how large or insignificant it may appear be.
Many of the ideas in these books (magazine) are common sense… The notion of focusing on one’s breadth is nothing new… yet it’s a great way to settle yourself in the here and now. I use it often; the breadth, I mean. I like to take a 3-minute breathing space whenever I notice I’m not centred. Of course, I have my limitations just like everyone else. I’m a “work-in-progress” with lots to learn and many changes to make. So why do I focus on mindfulness? I guess it’s because it is the way for me to make sense of the world; people, circumstances, etc. Mindfulness reminds me that we are in constant commentary about everything that we drown out what really matters. What really matters is today… eventually, ALL THINGS WORK OUT JUST AS THEY SHOULD.
So I thank you for taking time to read this short note and for sending good vibes my way. I wish you all an amazing day and leave you with this quote from Jon Kabat-Zinn‘s book Wherever You Go, There You Are:
“… if you really aren’t trying to get anywhere else in this moment, patience takes care of itself. It is remembering that things unfold in their own time.”