Accepting the Now

Day 32 - In her phenomenally successful book, Simple Abundance - A Daybook of Comfort and Joy (released in 1995), Sarah Ban Breathnach takes her readers on a journey of self-discovery from Jan 1st through Dec 31st .  She describes six guiding principles for cultivating our "authentic self" and creating a life that will bring us contentment and joy.  She begins with gratitude and writes an essay each day to expand upon her insights and understanding, woven with a delightful narrative of interesting tidbits and thought-provoking ideas.  Gratitude gives way to Simplicity, then Order, Harmony, Beauty and Joy.

I have read this book several times over the years and recently, pulled it from my book shelf with tender affection to read a few pages.  I am never disappointed.  There is so much information packed inside its lovely pages.  I highly recommend it.

The other day, I took pause when I read her May 4th essay on "The Personality of Your Home".  She quotes Jill Robinson, "A house is who you are, not who you ought to be".  Sarah continues with, "like it or not, the personalities of our homes are accurate barometers that reflect, through our surroundings, where we have been, what's going on in our lives, and who we are - today, this moment - though not necessarily where we are heading".  She explains that isn't always a comforting thought, because we usually project forward to "when I do this or that" or "if I had the money to do this or that".  But the idea being that a snapshot taken of our home right now, says so much about who we are right now and the life we are actually living (not the one we imagine).

I find it so interesting when information is presented to me from several sources, repeatedly in a short period of time.  That is when I know to start paying attention.  Last night, I attended a lovely group meditation at my local Yoga Studio (Sri Yantra).  The meditation was about cultivating inner happiness or rather, allowing the happiness to surface when we set the stresses aside for even just a moment.  I know this to be true from my experience with meditation over the years and with the mindfulness practices I have been working on to reduce my anxiety.

Recently, I was saying how I had been so unproductive and out of sync with my day and listed a bunch of things I did before I started my "work day" as if those things weren't important.  And I realized, in retrospect, (from several sources prompting me) that those activities were just as productive as my work day portion of my day.  Just different.

Interacting with my children, soaking my aching muscles, making breakfast or any number of things that I choose to do with my time.  It is a mindset to embrace all of those activities as living in the now and not letting my mind race ahead to what I still need to accomplish in my day.  Because, we live in the now.  This moment is all we really have.  Accepting our life as it is right now.  And that includes the state of our homes (and our bodies).  That doesn't mean we don't strive forward, but we accept now.

The picture above shows my messy kitchen table overlooking my very messy dining room table.  That is real.  That is right now.  That probably won't even get put on my radar to deal with today or for many days.  But it's still beautiful if I look at it through the right lens.  Ugly beautiful.  A mess, in transition.  The promise of order and efficiency in my kitchen, baby step by baby step.  The way I make progress on my body, losing weight and gaining health and vitality.  Baby step by baby step.

Until next time...  Be well!
~Tracy