Mothering
My mother loved being outside more than being indoors. She spent much of the spring, summer and fall planting a garden and harvesting its produce. When I was a little girl, I remember many days spent rolling around in the grass, jumping rope, and swinging on my play set. My mother would say, “Why would anyone be inside when they can be outside?” Perhaps that’s why I love being outside so much. I learned to appreciate the sun, the air, and earth early in life. Although, if I were honest, I haven’t appreciated it all my life. There were years I didn’t go hiking or take the time to really appreciate how special the outdoors is; but I worked in the yard with flowers and landscape design while my children were young. For me, being in touch with the earth is like being home. It feels warm, comforting, and loving. Mother Earth, is important to each of us. We all were made from dust, by God, and we will return to dust. Life happens in between.
One of the best snorkeling trips I encoutered was in Belize with my family in 2015, ten months before my husband died. It was the best vacation we ever spent as a family, and one I will never forget. But yesterday, I went snorkeling in the Caribbean. The crystal blue water with its gentle waves that bring life and food to the undersea creatures is stunning. As I was floating along, I began to think about all the people who had done this before me, here in this spot. People who have seen the same fish, the same coral, and felt the gentle waves or even perhaps lost a flipper. As I watched the fish eating around the rocks and coral, I thought about their lives. They were once a minnow and before that an egg. Even earlier was a mother and a father. Life is a cycle that continues unnoticed by most people, including me.
Mindfulness is an exercise in which thought has purpose in the present time and the moment in which time is occurring now. Most people either live in the past or in the future, which is sad. Time cannot be regained once it is lost, yet unless mindfulness is exercised, time will simply disappear. There is only so much time given to each person and how we spend it matters. Sometimes it’s necessary to cut out things or people in life that no longer serve us well. Moving away from what is normal and comfortable isn’t easy. But if someone brings you down, then it’s time to let that relationship go. If your job is so stressful that it’s affecting your family in a negative way, it’s time to let it go. New beginnings can be scary because it’s unknown, but what if we can call it something else? Like an opportunity? I don’t think our short life wants us to stay stuck in a job, a relationship, or health related problems that isn’t serving us today. As we advance in age, we should also advance in life. I believe we should continue to strive for greater self until we die.
What in life isn’t serving you at this moment? Sometimes we stay too long in a situation because of fear. Fear will paralyze a person from moving forward. I can attest to that as well. There are ideas I want to move forward with, but fear of failure keeps me from trying. Pride and fear together are an ugly duo that will stop anyone in their tracks. I have a plaque in my house that reads: Be Fearless. I look at it often, smile and acknowledge my own weakness. The awareness of one’s weakness is often all it takes to gain the courage to move. Even if the movement is slight, it’s okay so long as it’s a forward movement. There comes a time when a season or a phase is complete and it’s time to move on. There is no benefit to staying in the situation. As for me, I continue to make steps toward those ideas and bite my lip in the process. Shake off the old and welcome the new. There’s no need to rush into anything, but take the time necessary to adjust to the new idea and change that is forthcoming.
Take the time to find those centering and grounding moments. Life is only a blink. I’m so lucky, as are you, to have a new 24 hours each day to spend it anyway I choose. My mother instilled the love of the outdoors in me, and I will forever be grateful to her. Mother Earth has taught me to be still, quiet, and accept her love.
Health Bite: Be present today in your own life
