Daily Living

The demands of my day, the breakfast dishes, and the time ticking all seem to be colliding this morning. I’m feeling rushed. Can time slow down? I once heard the best advice from someone I knew that practiced Tai Chi. He said, “When I am in a rush, I slow down.” I have tried this, and it really works. If I slow down, I feel less rushed. Maybe, it’s because I can do whatever is presented to me with more concentration and clarity. 

So, I slowed down, and allowed the scattered pieces of myself to gather together. I started thinking about how a day is defined. Usually, by what’s on the “to do” list, usually in terms of “what needs to get done.” With this burst of thought, I said to myself: Hey Girl! Life is about living!

I was drawn to a vignette in my book: Comfort and Joy: Simple Ways to Care for Ourselves and Others (forthcoming from Conari Press, May 2008). I’d like to share it with you.

A List
There is a comfort in creating lists and carrying them around – in a notebook, a pocket or a wallet. A list is a friendly helper. My favorite kind of list is a “To Be” list:

1. Smile
2. Kiss
3. Enjoy eating an apple
4. Take a walk
5. Look up at the sky
6. Look at a tree
7. Daydream
8. Laugh

Cultivating Comfort: What would be on your “To Be” list?