Reacting Less

This practice of loving each moment as it is has become part of my life. I wake up--it's hot and muggy. I sweat even though it's 7 am. I am uncomfortable. And then--it's like when the clouds part and the sun shines through--I remember, this is a beautiful moment. And it is.

The day goes on, and I'm walking through a store. I'm on complete autopilot. Suddenly I remember--this is a beautiful moment. And I can feel myself start to smile.

I eat lunch--a fresh tomato right out of my garden, basil from the garden, fresh mozzarella, all on lovely bread. Of course this is a beautiful moment, but I notice that I'm rushing past it, checking email as I eat. I slow down and taste my sandwich. Yep, this is a beautiful moment.

Later, I have a rough conversation with one of my kids. He is cranky. He snaps at me even though I'm being reasonable (really, I am this time!). Because I've been using the 'this is a beautiful moment' muscle all day, it's pretty easy to remember. This, too, is a beautiful moment.

Each time that I remember, the part of me that knows it's a beautiful moment gets stronger. I don't have to wait for something special, for a day at the beach or a fancy dinner out or a special celebration. It gets easy to recognize the special in small moments.

So, if things aren't going so well at home for you, I want to recommend this practice. Stop right now and breathe. Can you feel it, that this is a beautiful moment? It may be hard, too. You may be hot, hungry, or tired. There may be big worries in your life--a health crisis, a relationship crisis, a hard choice to be made. I'm not saying ignore that stuff, I'm saying just fully show up for it exactly as it is. Breathe and feel it. Open to it. Don't hold back. Be exactly here right now. I hope you can feel the beauty.

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