Morning Thoughts – April 8, 2023

April 8 – 6:58am – Slow. It doesn’t always need to be fast.

Be attuned to your each and every action. Day by day, slowly, incrementally, you will improve your ability to be present.

You will catch yourself doing things you were never aware of. You will step back and ask yourself why you were doing a particular thing. You will become much more engaged in life itself. The experiences you have on your morning run – coming within maybe 5 meters of a skunk and darting quickly away; getting right below a bird singing on a branch before it realizes you’re there and flies off to continue singing on another branch.

Smile.

Not only does every interaction count with other people, but every interaction you have with yourself counts just as much. You want to remain in good company. You want to have productive conversations with the voice inside. There doesn’t need to be this constant badgering – there doesn’t need to be these festering feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, unease, discontent, inadequacy, resentment. 

You recognize you still have so much work to do but instead of being overwhelmed by it – by all it is you can become – you become invigorated by it. You take one small step forward every day towards your ultimate vision. 

It could mean stopping. You stop and feel the crevices of a coin medallion. 

Sympatheia – We are made for each other.

“The fruit of this life is good character and acts for the common good.” – Marcus Aurelius

What small step, what small action can you take for the common good; towards becoming a more responsible citizen of your community? You may have made some kind of effort already, so what’s the next step? Making that phone call and inquiring about that membership? Remember, be willing to start from the bottom and work your way up.

Back to presence, while interestingly enough thinking ahead. Remember, every interaction counts and you want to be present. You get to see your family this weekend. Be there. Enjoy the time you get to spend with them.

You never know if it could be the last time you get to do something.

Ask the questions that have been on your mind.

Listen.

Use the breath to recenter yourself when need be. 

“Is there any question you wished someone asked you?”

Take a moment and maybe more than a moment to think. Feel the goosebumps tingle your skin as you contemplate your response. 

Is there any question I wished someone asked me? 

Well, I wish I was asked more questions like this one. It’s funny how you can think of a question and ask someone else about it, yet if you stop and ask yourself that same question, you draw a blank and don’t know how to answer it. 

It would be nice to have more conversations where you are taken aback and don’t necessarily know the answer to a question, where you don’t know where things are going.

It feels nice, nice is the word that came to mind; it feels nice to take a moment and just think, or maybe it’s not thinking, maybe it’s something else entirely, waiting? listening?

I don’t know the answer but it’s interesting to consider the question. 

–

Remember to take a moment and appreciate the little things.

Your cold hands being warmed by the cup of coffee you’re holding.

Running at dawn, seeing the sky transform from darkness to light – reflecting on its resemblance to how you’ve felt on the inside.

Things can get bad, you can go to really dark places.

But they can get better and you can see the light coming through your window and into your life.

It’s in the moments you have to sit down and reflect.

It’s in the moments you take a moment and remember to be grateful. 

I guess I’ll post this because why not?