Getting It Right....right for you, that is.
Something occurred to me the other day in a moment of mindfulness. Living in the moment actually keeps you from flip flopping from one idea, concept, style of living, etc to the next. The peace is profound. You stop worrying about identifying lifestyle, clothing, what food you eat, whats in your closets, whats in your pantry. What people are saying about you. What they are saying or not saying on your blog. What your future is, what your past was. You leave the mistakes in the past, just where they happened, lesson learned.
You don't need to be retracting this statement or that, just to adopt it again later, or loosing sleep over what might happen tomorrow or what did happen yesterday. Living mindfully, in the moment lets you live. Its that plain and simple. Maybe that is what this simple living thing is, but its not been defined that way by many. Myself included. The definition felt elusive to me and just now as I wrote out those last few words, something else occurred to me, naming it doesn't change it for me or make it something different than it has been. I would enjoy the beauty of a butterfly or a rose even if I never knew what it was called. We get hung up on being one thing or the other, but in living mindfully in the moment, we are what we are at that very moment. No need to define. It is just what that moment is. I can be happy wearing chic clothing one moment and then donning jeans and a flannel shirt the next. What fits the moment is me. What you eat is the same sort of thing. I suspect Jesus was trying to tell us that in Matthew 6:30 "O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." What a perfect description of living mindfully and in the moment !
How come we just don't get it right ? I suspect we get caught up in this whirlwind of indecision. Insecure in trusting our instincts, and not real clear on being mindful of the moment. We keep trying to control every aspect of the next day, when there is NO way we can know with certainty what the next day will bring. When a problem arises the solution is simple....
"If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it's not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever" The Dalai Lama
Comments
Thank you for sharing your photos and your ever flowing wisdom with us! I've been a reader of your blog for months now and absolutely love it!
I also wanted to comment (although I didn't) on the WWBD t-shirt. I grew up Christian and well, I'll just say that they aren't always the most tolerant people that you come across.
Anyway, over the years, I have read lots of books on Buddhism and the teachings of the Dalai Lama and found them to be nothing but positive. I don't see why anyone (Christian or otherwise) should be adverse to the teachings of Buddha. He was very wise and what some people don't understand is that he wasn't a diety to be worshipped, but simply a man...a very wise man.