I have been on a quest of becoming more mindful. This journey has been going on for a while, but has assumed renewed urgency of late. The reasons are many, less important. The reasons are only part of the journey. What is more important is the journey itself, and the aspiration of the end-state. To be without judgement, to be in the now. To focus on what matters, what is in front of me. Not what happened yesterday, not what I anticipate tomorrow.
Needless to say, I have been perusing countless resources on mindfulness. There are many out there, and I have been curating the most discerning ones, the more applicable ones. Applicable to me, of course. I don't presume to speak for everyone else.
I came across a quote on a website dedicated to being more mindful, more appreciative of the here and now. The quote was of Bob Marley, the famous Jamaican singer-songwriter.
In an interview, with reference to his fame, he was once asked, "Are you a rich man, do you have a lot of possessions?" He replied, "I don't have that kind of richness, my richness is life".
I read this today and it struck me like lightning, as I sat there, going through my regular day, worrying about my regular to-do's and not-to-do's. "My richness is life". Wow.
What is my life? I take a few moments to count my blessings, all of them. And I marvel at the bounty. And putting anything material aside, is not my life itself a blessing? The fact that I am here and now, and not somewhere else less ideal. The fact that my problem of not being mindful is so much lower on the totem pole of life problems that others face. The fact that I already have everything I need. And I only need to remind myself of it.
This life is a true gift. I could have been born as one of the other 7 billion humans around the globe, many in conditions less optimal that I am in. Many in countries without the resources that mine has. Many without the family and support that I have. Many without the opportunities that I have taken advantage of. And yet, I was born as me. The gift of my life was given to me. And today, I am filled with gratitude for it.
It behooves me (and you as well, really) to pay this gift forward. In whatever way makes sense to you. Starting with being the most decent, compassionate human being you can be. Start somewhere, anywhere. Also, stop being so busy and harried all the time, and acknowledge what is already there, and what you already have. Acknowledge this gift of your life. Trust me, it's worth it.
Needless to say, I have been perusing countless resources on mindfulness. There are many out there, and I have been curating the most discerning ones, the more applicable ones. Applicable to me, of course. I don't presume to speak for everyone else.
I came across a quote on a website dedicated to being more mindful, more appreciative of the here and now. The quote was of Bob Marley, the famous Jamaican singer-songwriter.
In an interview, with reference to his fame, he was once asked, "Are you a rich man, do you have a lot of possessions?" He replied, "I don't have that kind of richness, my richness is life".
I read this today and it struck me like lightning, as I sat there, going through my regular day, worrying about my regular to-do's and not-to-do's. "My richness is life". Wow.
What is my life? I take a few moments to count my blessings, all of them. And I marvel at the bounty. And putting anything material aside, is not my life itself a blessing? The fact that I am here and now, and not somewhere else less ideal. The fact that my problem of not being mindful is so much lower on the totem pole of life problems that others face. The fact that I already have everything I need. And I only need to remind myself of it.
This life is a true gift. I could have been born as one of the other 7 billion humans around the globe, many in conditions less optimal that I am in. Many in countries without the resources that mine has. Many without the family and support that I have. Many without the opportunities that I have taken advantage of. And yet, I was born as me. The gift of my life was given to me. And today, I am filled with gratitude for it.
It behooves me (and you as well, really) to pay this gift forward. In whatever way makes sense to you. Starting with being the most decent, compassionate human being you can be. Start somewhere, anywhere. Also, stop being so busy and harried all the time, and acknowledge what is already there, and what you already have. Acknowledge this gift of your life. Trust me, it's worth it.
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