Moments are Enough

During one “exit interview” at our last retreat, I had a mother of 2 small children ask me anxiously how she was going to incorporate any of the BIGGER (spiritual) practices and theories she had learned.  Her life wasn’t her own so how was she possibly going to meditate for 20 minutes or work on growing her intuition?  That is the 6 million dollar question isn’t it?  I want to bring my fullest, best self to my life but how do I do that when my life is jam packed with wall to wall obligations?  

Focus on moments.  Focus on your breath (which gets you out of your head) for one moment getting into the car or making mac and cheese.  Bring yourself fully into one moment while you are taking a shower and really feel the water.  Notice the trees or the sky while you are driving.  Take a 5 minute meditation when things are calm or listen to a Rob Bell or TD Jakes podcast as you drive (there are many, those are just my personal favorites).  Work out to an Oprah Soul Sunday or watch a 2 minute clip on some topic that speaks to you on her website.  Read a book or journal while waiting at the dentist/doctor.  Read my blog.  J.  

Each moment adds up…. and then one day YOU (big you) show up and handles a situation differently and more consciously than the small you would have.  

Over the weekend we had a dinner party.  Since everyone left late, we piled up most of the dishes in the sink to do the next day.  My husband had an early tee time for a charity golf tournament the next day but I woke up to a note saying, “leave everything and I will do it when I get home.”  It was very sweet of him but I didn’t mind watching football all afternoon and cleaning.  When he got home, everything was clean and all that was left was for him to put away the dishes. 

The next day after he had left on a business trip, I realized that all the dishes were not put away.  I glared at the fondue pot sitting on the counter and I immediately wanted to text him angrily in all caps.  My thoughts began to swirl, “He is soooo selfish and self-absorbed; he can’t even do one thing while I did a million things; he is sooo ungrateful for all I do….and on and on and on.”  I became angrier and angrier (as you can imagine).  But, for some reason, I did…….absolutely nothing.  I paused and thought about how he most likely just missed it and that he was on a business trip.  Although the fondue pot was important to me in that moment, was it really important overall….. ahhh nope.  Contrary to my thoughts, the fondue pot on the counter did not mean he was selfish or didn’t care about me.  It was just a fondue pot sitting on the counter…..that’s it. 

5 years ago I would have sent that angry text.  I would have truly believed all of my thoughts and texted him about how little he valued or appreciated me.  I would have thought he was totally selfish and probably would have been in such a tizzy that I would have wondered about my marriage….again, about a single fondue pot.  But, due to all the moments I have done over the years, I handled the situation much differently.  

Focusing on moments allows your spiritual self, big YOU, to find its way into your everyday life.  Little by little each moment allows YOU to seep a little more into your days, your relationships and your behaviors.  Eventually, one day you will shock yourself by handling a situation differently and more consciously. You will look back and say to yourself, “Wowza that was ME (big) showing up!”

Moments are enough.