The Awakening

“If you have one eye on yesterday, and one eye on tomorrow, you’re going to be cockeyed today.”  ~Author Unknown

Today is a perfect day for a new beginning. While driving my kids to school this morning, I noticed that the frigid temperatures combined with the steam from the warm ponds near our house had created the stunning effect of frosted trees. The contrasts, the white, stick-figure trees against the deep blue, cloudless sky, the freezing temps against the glowing heat of the rising sun, were awe inspiring. It’s the kind of morning that can make your whole day…if you stop to pay attention.

I have spent far too much time stressed out and simply getting by and, in the process, life is getting away from me. My boys are growing up, and I’m getting older. There is nothing I can do to stop those things from happening. I can, however, focus on living now and zen (emphasis on the now, hoping for the zen to come eventually). I can take more deep breaths and work to let go of things that are tethering me to negativity. I can slow down enough to relish the current moment rather than racing to the next one. And I can start this adjustment right now, in the midst of the holiday season rush, because the best time to start living now is now, right? Maybe if I put the unrecoverable past behind me and let go of the uncertain future my present won’t escape my notice?

I’m not sure where this journey will take me, but I’m going to post something here every day for the next month. It takes at least three weeks to establish a new habit, and I’m giving myself four. I will try to keep it positive. If I fail at that, I can at least guarantee it will be honest.