Memories Restless Waiting

As the weather gets warmer, we often feel a sense or restlessness, or cabin fever, after having been inside for the long cold winter.  Indeed this is how I feel.  I am chomping at the bit to begin life anew and I see new leaves and growth on the trees outside my windows.  even as the weather struggles with warm one day and cold the next, I just want to be where life is good and the sun is shining.

IT seems that this winter has been a long one indeed.  And I have made it through. So…now what?  Now it is Spring.  And there are trips to make, people to see, sitting outside on the patio, laughing and sipping.  There are new exercise plans to start, laughter, friends, lovers and life waiting for me.

Often when we have gone w=through a hard time, or a time of transformation, we get anxious to put it all in play.  To do the Spring cleaning – out with the old and in with the…wonderful.

I am am so ready.  And yet there are still things to take care of and plan.  There are miles to go before I sleep.  But the promise of Spring floats in the air and in my dreams, along with the smell of honeysuckle and roses.

And when we are in this space, sometimes we just have to pray. And believe. And have faith. That everything will unfold as it should, in perfect timing. All we need to do is be present in the moments ahead, because memories are made while we are waiting. Memories that are restless and waiting to be made.

The Secret in the Whole

There are times when we feel overwhelmed and like we cannot possible do it all, as the to do list grows and grows and grows.  Sometimes it can even be hard to breath.  Waking up in the middle of the night, gripped with anxiety that there are not enough hours in the day…So what do we do when we are wracked with all that emotion and that every growing list?

I am not sure I know completely, but lately I have felt very overwhelmed by all of the responsibility.  And what seems to quiet my mind when I wake up in the middle of the night, worried that I cannot get it all done, is to accept that I cannot get it all done. And I pray for guidance and wisdom in choosing the priorities, patience and compassion for myself, and grace and stamina general.  Because let’s face it, life is hard.  And there is no instruction book.

I also find that slowing down a bit helps too.  While that may sound counterintuitive when so many things need to get done, and writing deadlines are looming, it actually helps with focus.   This is because when our minds are racing with all that has to be done, and we multi-task our way through the day, it is hard to focus and give the attention in the capacity it is needed.

When we accept that we cannot get everything done it automatically reduces the stress. Then it is just a matter of prioritizing what is urgent, and what can wait.  We can organize tasks into little piles, so to speak.  And then when we look at what needs to be done, it is more manageable. Even if the same of amount os tasks need to be completed, they don’t seem as menacing of they are organized my importance.  We have a plan, and know how to approach it.  Having a plan of action helps me feel batter and like I have something under control.

First though, we have to find a way to slow down, take a breath and put our minds at ease. Then life is more manageable.

What puts my mind at ease and calms my thoughts is praying, a lot.  I have to.  My faith is what saves me from 1. going crazy, 2. yelling a lot more and 3. I am pretty sure has saved me from going to jail when I encounter stupid people. And I want to meditate more.  To me, meditation is an extended and relaxing form of prayer.  I want to feel more in line with my faith, because when I wake up panicked, I feel far from God, even though I know he is close.

We need to feel grounded in something, whether family, faith, friends or a combination of all of them.  And when we feel grounded, we can hold on to those roots while we feel overwhelmed.  That holding on while letting go and allowing ourselves to not be perfect, to not get everything done, to be a little bit of a mess (or a lot), will ease our discomfort.

So don’t worry about being perfect all the time.  I’ll let you in on a little secret: No one ever is.  Even those who look like they have it all together all the time – don’t.  Not really. And that’s OK.  We don’t have to perfect to be a whole. beautiful, wonderful human.