There was a time when the thought of monks amused me. How could anyone spend a lifetime doing nothing but meditating and observing the mundane and minutia of life? Didn't make sense to me.
I want to make a big impact. I want to drive a nice car. I want to have a beach house. I want, I wish, I want, I wish…
I still want to make an impact, in fact, I want that more than ever. I still want to spend more time near the ocean. Having a house on the ocean would be nice, but that is a peripheral detail. I want to hear the crashing waves. I want to feel the sand between my feet. I want to watch the sun set. I want to drink a nice wine and hold my wives hand. I want to take a deep breath… I want to feel the sunshine against my skin.
I am working on it. I am working on embracing the mundane, because the mundane is the gift.
When I made the "millions" the goal & the definition of success, I was always chasing it and not reaching it. And, even when I reached parts of it, the goal moved out again.
When I made the "moments" the goal and the definition of success, I was always in them not reaching for them. And, when I am in them, I try to enjoy them, to focus on them, and to keep my mind from racing to the stuff that is yet to come.
This is not my idea. Its the concept behind meditation, buddhism, and so many other philosophies, and it is so very, very powerful.
Life is short. We realize it only as we get older. But, the sooner we realize it, the sooner we can embrace it.
I don't want to wait to enjoy it someday in the future. Who knows how long I will be here?
And, even if I do live a long life, why wouldn't I want to enjoy every step of it.
I am not good at it yet, but I am getting better every day.
I don't want to live a single moment as a means to the next...
Every moment deserves to lived on its own merit ;-)
I notice things I didn't used to notice.
My youngest is growing everyday… he will soon no longer look like a boy. But, I notice his head against my chest and his arms around my neck.
I notice the strength of my sons hands as he allows me to hold them.
I notice the warmth of the sun against my skin.
I notice the satisfying feeling of progress.
I notice the aroma of fresh made coffee.
I notice shifts in a conversation.
I notice the peacefulness of a bath.
I notice the acceleration of a nice car.
I notice the loneliness of stress.
I notice the anger in a tired child.
I notice the boredom in a regular teenager.
I notice the softness of my wives skin.
I notice the generosity of her time with the boys.
I notice the fatigue of my worked out body.
I notice the love in a friends note.
I notice the intent in my colleagues determination.
I notice harmony and disharmony, and I gently and sometimes not so gently try to redirect it in the next moment…
I notice passion…
I notice peace…
I now envy monks. I envy their ability to focus on the moment and the freedom that they have from complexity and drama.
I am so much more aware of the mundane…
And, I am grateful for it…
The "mundane" is the everything…
Imagine your life, lived intentionally.
When I was working hard on Saturday making dinner for friends…
I noticed my boys willingness to help.
I noticed their pride in being included.
I noticed their distraction in their other activities.
I thought to myself, this is all part of the evening.
Waiting for the fresh caught Halibut.
Walking the store and buying the ingredients…
Creating the menu.
Cleaning the house.
Squeezing the limes.
Cutting the kale.
It's all part of the celebration.
When we only see the "feast" as the celebration, everything else becomes the labor, the necessary, the "stuff we gotta do"…
But, when we realize that its ALL part of the FEAST…
Our labor is part of our dreams…
Our sweat is part of our strength…
Our fear is part of our love…
Then we realize that the mundane is part of our life… it is every part…
Embrace the mundane, deliberately.
It's all part of our journey.
The concept of harmony is that you never "get there"…
Every moment, you get a chance to try it…
You get it one moment, and you forget it the next…
Every moment you live is a part of you.
It's the only place you can feel gratitude.
It's the only place you experience life.
It's the only point in time that you can enjoy.
It's the only place you exist.
We exist in the mundane moment…
It is not "part" of the feast…
The "mundane moment" is the feast..
This very moment…
Yours in harmony,
Nestor