This week somehow feels different. It feels lighter and more free. Perhaps it is because we've finally settled into some normal Spring weather or maybe it is because one of the colleges I work at is done for the semester (posting final grades today), but I think there is something else going on. I'm not sure what, but each moring-- even if I didn't want to wake up or arose with a headache-- has felt different, special.
Maybe because, despite a few things that I can't control, I am quite pleased with my life at the moment. I am happy and at peace. I love my job, my husband, my family, my cats, my birds, my apartment. I'm feeling good about my body and activity. I'm not where I want to be in those last two areas, but I know I am on my way and I am having fun doing it.
Even though we have plenty of bills and debt, I know I'm on track to paying most of it off and that the rest will follow with time. There's no rushing those things if you want to eat.
There just seems to be good vibes in the air lately. I can't put my finger on it, but even Facebook was filled with niceties. People getting jobs, graduating, having babies, coming home. I even made a post about it there were so many good news status updates.
At the beginning of this week the death of Bin Laden was announced and though I was grateful I couldn't say that I was directly effected and yet-- Maybe that does have something to do with it. Many, many people in the US are relieved. It is like the country has taken a big sigh. People on the street seem nicer. Everything feels lighter.
I'm not saying that all our problems are solved or that there isn't any issue or controversy concerning his death; that would simply be naive. [The arguments for both sides of the mass celebration that happened are poignant and astute. NPR has been covering the issue, but I find Julliana Baggot's perspective enlightening.] But I think it has effected enough people in a positive enough way -- even if it is simply a sigh of relief-- that there is actually a palpable energy in the air, something you can almost actually feel.
In the midst of all of this there is also a lot of tornados and storms ravishing parts of the US and I'm not sure what to make of all that except that I feel grateful that the damage isn't as bad as it could have been. Maybe it is wrong to look at it that way, but I think that as a whole we have been focusing on the negative in this country for far too long.
Maybe it is partly led by the Republican/Democrat face off in congress, ridiculous accusations about birth certificates, and this mindless goal to do nothing more than make the other side look bad. How much can we as Americans really take before we shout enough!? We allow ourselves to get wrapped up in it -- and I'm no angel either. Even reality TV shows seem to perpetuate this crack drug of negativity.
But does it have to be that way?
NPR was doing a story yesterday about Republican Presidential Candidate Perspectives and the guy from Indiana (forgive me I can't remember his name) was all about saving money and--wait for it-- compromise. It was just so refreshing. I found myself hoping that he would make it because even if I wouldn't likely vote for him, at least if someone like him made it to the race, maybe, just maybe, we could have a clean cut, fair, debate based election year. Pipe dreams perhaps, but if there is one thing we (particularly as a country) have proven is that if we set our minds to it, it is possible.
I didn't start writing this blog with an intent on getting patriotical or political, but upon further reflection I think the current state of affairs must be effecting everyone at least in some small way. So who is to say that this different feeling that I am waking up with every morning this week isn't somehow contributed to these things or at the very least how everyone else is feeling?
A few years ago some group or other tried to excite an international orgasim day, the experiment being to see if everyone, whether they participated or not, felt happier on that day. Of course, there was no way to track this, but I wonder if it really would work. I have long suspected that the true power of prayer lies in the power of the collective mindset, and I can only imagine what we would be able to accomplish if were more often willing to put our differences aside and cooperate. If we were more able and more willing to view the world as not half empty of joy and love, but half full of joy and love. If we could make it a point to rejoice in the little things as much as the big things. And to use those positive vibes to survive, alter, squash the negative ones.
I do mostly believe that the world requires a balance, and as Phillip Simmons suggests in his essay "Learning to Fall," the difficulties in life are necessary to fully understand and appreciate the joys in life, but that we shouldn't wait for tragedy to strike to start.
Speaking of finding the little joys and surprises in life: I stuck with my Charlie yoga, continually trying to rationalize it-- perhaps because he is a man he focuses on different muscle sets than I am used to, etc.-- and lo and behold, today he did the one thing I missed the most; he walked around the room and adjusted positions. He even fixed two of mine. How wonderful. Thank you Charlie.
Despite all my qualms with Charlie I do have to admit that I am getting stronger. There is no denying that I can hold a side plank (or for that matter a normal plank) far longer than I could in the past and that Charlie in some way contributed to that.
My experience with Charlie -- while it may seem slightly off topic-- has taught me once again that it is the things that I struggle through the most that ultimately benefit me the most. The teachers that I hated or that at least made me work my ass off in school are the ones that taught me the most, not only about the subject, but about what I was capable of.
In exercise, you only get the full benefit if you push yourself, make yourself uncomfortable, push to the next level. Why should education be any different? Perhaps I will use this analogy next semester...
And here we come full circle.
I am feeling pleased, happy, and at peace with my life right now, not because it is without difficulty, frustration, or disappointment, but because I have finally (at least for now) come to accept those things not as things that lessen my life, but as things that add to it, make it more complex, more special, make me stronger as a person and as an individual. They add color to my life and remind me to appreciate the moments that matter most.
How satisfying a chilly, gray rain makes a hot carmel mocha.
How empowering it is to get a dance move right after weeks of argument and struggle.
How pleasing it is to be corrected in a yoga move after moments of ambiguity.
The smile that an early morning sky can bring when you're finally awake enough to enjoy it.
The sudden look of understanding on a student's face after shuffling through several explanations.
We would never know that life goes on, that there was such a thing as survival, if we were never faced with illness or death. We would never know how strong we truly are.
Would we rather live life without the negatives? Especially the big ones? Certainly.
But would we ever discover how complex and satisfying life is without it?
And if we really can feel the good vibes of the other people in the world (if something like the death of Bin Laden has created enough relief in America that I can feel it every morning when I rise) then imagine if people focused on these better feelings all the time, if every day we could rise to the gentle smile of the world.
I have gone far more philosophical than I set out to this morning and I have written far more than I meant, but in a way I am glad that I did. I am glad that I could take the time this morning to reflect on these things and to share them with you.
I hope that you too can take the time today and think about the positives in your life and be thankful for them. Appreciate the small things: a bright flower, the sweet taste of something, a good laugh with a friend, or even a smiley face text. And that you too can help the world smile, help it survive.
Maybe because, despite a few things that I can't control, I am quite pleased with my life at the moment. I am happy and at peace. I love my job, my husband, my family, my cats, my birds, my apartment. I'm feeling good about my body and activity. I'm not where I want to be in those last two areas, but I know I am on my way and I am having fun doing it.
Even though we have plenty of bills and debt, I know I'm on track to paying most of it off and that the rest will follow with time. There's no rushing those things if you want to eat.
There just seems to be good vibes in the air lately. I can't put my finger on it, but even Facebook was filled with niceties. People getting jobs, graduating, having babies, coming home. I even made a post about it there were so many good news status updates.
At the beginning of this week the death of Bin Laden was announced and though I was grateful I couldn't say that I was directly effected and yet-- Maybe that does have something to do with it. Many, many people in the US are relieved. It is like the country has taken a big sigh. People on the street seem nicer. Everything feels lighter.
I'm not saying that all our problems are solved or that there isn't any issue or controversy concerning his death; that would simply be naive. [The arguments for both sides of the mass celebration that happened are poignant and astute. NPR has been covering the issue, but I find Julliana Baggot's perspective enlightening.] But I think it has effected enough people in a positive enough way -- even if it is simply a sigh of relief-- that there is actually a palpable energy in the air, something you can almost actually feel.
In the midst of all of this there is also a lot of tornados and storms ravishing parts of the US and I'm not sure what to make of all that except that I feel grateful that the damage isn't as bad as it could have been. Maybe it is wrong to look at it that way, but I think that as a whole we have been focusing on the negative in this country for far too long.
Maybe it is partly led by the Republican/Democrat face off in congress, ridiculous accusations about birth certificates, and this mindless goal to do nothing more than make the other side look bad. How much can we as Americans really take before we shout enough!? We allow ourselves to get wrapped up in it -- and I'm no angel either. Even reality TV shows seem to perpetuate this crack drug of negativity.
But does it have to be that way?
NPR was doing a story yesterday about Republican Presidential Candidate Perspectives and the guy from Indiana (forgive me I can't remember his name) was all about saving money and--wait for it-- compromise. It was just so refreshing. I found myself hoping that he would make it because even if I wouldn't likely vote for him, at least if someone like him made it to the race, maybe, just maybe, we could have a clean cut, fair, debate based election year. Pipe dreams perhaps, but if there is one thing we (particularly as a country) have proven is that if we set our minds to it, it is possible.
I didn't start writing this blog with an intent on getting patriotical or political, but upon further reflection I think the current state of affairs must be effecting everyone at least in some small way. So who is to say that this different feeling that I am waking up with every morning this week isn't somehow contributed to these things or at the very least how everyone else is feeling?
A few years ago some group or other tried to excite an international orgasim day, the experiment being to see if everyone, whether they participated or not, felt happier on that day. Of course, there was no way to track this, but I wonder if it really would work. I have long suspected that the true power of prayer lies in the power of the collective mindset, and I can only imagine what we would be able to accomplish if were more often willing to put our differences aside and cooperate. If we were more able and more willing to view the world as not half empty of joy and love, but half full of joy and love. If we could make it a point to rejoice in the little things as much as the big things. And to use those positive vibes to survive, alter, squash the negative ones.
I do mostly believe that the world requires a balance, and as Phillip Simmons suggests in his essay "Learning to Fall," the difficulties in life are necessary to fully understand and appreciate the joys in life, but that we shouldn't wait for tragedy to strike to start.
Speaking of finding the little joys and surprises in life: I stuck with my Charlie yoga, continually trying to rationalize it-- perhaps because he is a man he focuses on different muscle sets than I am used to, etc.-- and lo and behold, today he did the one thing I missed the most; he walked around the room and adjusted positions. He even fixed two of mine. How wonderful. Thank you Charlie.
Despite all my qualms with Charlie I do have to admit that I am getting stronger. There is no denying that I can hold a side plank (or for that matter a normal plank) far longer than I could in the past and that Charlie in some way contributed to that.
My experience with Charlie -- while it may seem slightly off topic-- has taught me once again that it is the things that I struggle through the most that ultimately benefit me the most. The teachers that I hated or that at least made me work my ass off in school are the ones that taught me the most, not only about the subject, but about what I was capable of.
In exercise, you only get the full benefit if you push yourself, make yourself uncomfortable, push to the next level. Why should education be any different? Perhaps I will use this analogy next semester...
And here we come full circle.
I am feeling pleased, happy, and at peace with my life right now, not because it is without difficulty, frustration, or disappointment, but because I have finally (at least for now) come to accept those things not as things that lessen my life, but as things that add to it, make it more complex, more special, make me stronger as a person and as an individual. They add color to my life and remind me to appreciate the moments that matter most.
How satisfying a chilly, gray rain makes a hot carmel mocha.
How empowering it is to get a dance move right after weeks of argument and struggle.
How pleasing it is to be corrected in a yoga move after moments of ambiguity.
The smile that an early morning sky can bring when you're finally awake enough to enjoy it.
The sudden look of understanding on a student's face after shuffling through several explanations.
We would never know that life goes on, that there was such a thing as survival, if we were never faced with illness or death. We would never know how strong we truly are.
Would we rather live life without the negatives? Especially the big ones? Certainly.
But would we ever discover how complex and satisfying life is without it?
And if we really can feel the good vibes of the other people in the world (if something like the death of Bin Laden has created enough relief in America that I can feel it every morning when I rise) then imagine if people focused on these better feelings all the time, if every day we could rise to the gentle smile of the world.
I have gone far more philosophical than I set out to this morning and I have written far more than I meant, but in a way I am glad that I did. I am glad that I could take the time this morning to reflect on these things and to share them with you.
I hope that you too can take the time today and think about the positives in your life and be thankful for them. Appreciate the small things: a bright flower, the sweet taste of something, a good laugh with a friend, or even a smiley face text. And that you too can help the world smile, help it survive.
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