Art Journal Page
Speak often the words of your heart.
This is one of those fast and flurry-filled posts.
After spending some time in the studio last night, I joined C.C. to watch one of ‘our’ programs on TV. And then, I got caught in another. After the second, I slipped into the office to catch up on some emails and work I had to get done for both my upcoming art show, and the concert for Christmas at The Madison. (Yes, it is coming soon for the third year! Sunday, November 30th, 7pm. St. Stephen’s Anglican Church – watch this space for more information soon!)
And then, I got distracted. Lost track of time and didn’t realize how late it was until the midnight hour was upon me!
Needless to say, I slept in. On purpose.
Actually set my alarm for 6:30am and slept until it went off!
Now that’s unusual for me.
To actually heed an alarm and not wake up before its ring.
And out of all that, what I’m saying is…
I’m late.
Or am I?
I have a choice.
To allow my sense of being late to hurry me up and leave me feeling breathless and out of time, or, to breathe into my sense of being late and allow myself the grace of being present in the moment, where I’m, at without judging the time or tardiness of my awakening.
What I choose will determine the tempo and the essence of my day.
And my voice of reason whispers, “Choose wisely.”
I am choosing to accept the hour of my awakening as what it is, the hour of my awakening.
And now, I must rewind.
Earlier, thinking I was late and had limited time to begin my day, I chose to skip my meditation. It’s my all or nothing thinking. If I don’t have at least 20 minutes to meditate, what’s the point?
The point is, there’s nothing wrong with just 10 minutes, or even 5. What’s important is that I take the time to center myself, to ground my day in quiet. So, rather than spend half an hour to forty-five minutes here, I’ll make this short and give myself the gift of time for quiet reflection where I can set the intention for my day and live into its wide-eyed awakening with awe-inspired breathing.
So often, in my ‘all or nothing’ thinking, I convince myself that there is only one way to do something when, in fact, the choice is always mine and in that choice, there are many roads and many options.
My option this morning is to surrender judgment and fall effortlessly into being present in my day knowing, how I live it is my choice. When I choose to honour myself, I give myself the gift of all the time I need to experience each moment as a wonderful, joyful awakening.
There is no time like the present and time isn’t going too fast, it’s simply moving. How I experience the speed of its passing is up to me.
Dare Boldly 
hmm …
when you ramble or rush sometimes things leak out that are not polished – just poignant
‘all or nothing’
or as Annie in Oklahoma sang: ‘all er nuthin’
when we die, time stops – not for anyone else, but for us
until then, it is all or nuthin’
we love calm, relaxed – the absence of frenetic
but when we are frenetic – those minutes are just as long and filled with things just as important as the leisure
with or without alarm … or responding to one, watching TV or painting or writing or meditating – it is ALL your time to spend, every day, any way you want
what you demonstrate this morning is a reality we all face every day – things we want to do exceed the time available, so we make choices
sometimes easy ones
sometimes excruciating ones
and the best ones are made for us while we sleep by our non-conscious self … working away while we snooze
and waking us when it has to
spend your day, every hour, every minute
there is no ‘carry-forward’ to tomorrow – not ever
us ’em, spend ’em, waste ’em or ….. haste-em
but never regret them
my two cents …
Cheers,
Mark
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Lovely two cents Mark! Thanks. 🙂
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You’re a wise woman Louise. Being late makes me panic and my reaction to being late sets a lousy tone for the rest of the day. 😦
Diana xo
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Yup. So true Diana — it does set a lousy tone for the rest of the day when I let it get to me!
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I am so grateful that I took time to read this post today, Louise! Very timely for me.
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And I am grateful your took the time to comment Ann! Enjoy the timeliness — and your day!
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Yet another bloody awesome post by you, you really are a wonderful woman
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And yet another bloody response by you Joanne! Hugs
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I read something years ago that called our speedy lives “tyranny of the urgent”. I am learning along with you that rushing is an emotional response that needn’t occur. We have a choice. In my life when I look deeply at the tightness that grips me when I’m harried and hurried, it feels like a flash of unworthiness….”When I (fill in the blank), I haven’t’ been enough…done enough..” Lovely Louise, may your day continue in the beauty of acceptance that you have given to this late-start-day.
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“Tyranny of the urgen” — that so aptly describes what happens Willow! and yes, I too recognize that flash of unworthiness — thanks for this. I love your insight.
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