It’s hard to stay present in today’s world.
Staying Present:
I am, as all mortals are, unable to be patient~ Pablo Neruda
Before I left for each trip, my impatience was at an all-time high. I don't know if it was waiting for the unknown, trying to get everything done before heading out, or just not planning my day well. It could have been all of it.
In reading this passage in “The Book of Awakening,” Mark Nepo states: Yet, only through the incredibly difficult effort of staying present will life’s forces reveal to us their powers of Oneness.
I felt this way during the past two weeks of vacation: riding a bike, staying present on the road in front of me, and watching for potholes, sticks, and rocks. One pedal stroke and then another, each thought just being: enjoy the ride, look around—there are things you have never experienced before.
Losing patience was not an option if I wanted to see everything around me.
I climbed a hill that I wanted to swear at, and as I crested, a volcano came into view, and my breath was taken away even more.
Being present in nature's magic filled my whole body and mind with awe. It reminded me that we are only here for a short time, and staying present in even the most minor tasks of our day can reveal so much.
Of course, the week between trips reminded me that I was just a mortal again. I wasn't patient with what needed to be done, wandering my house doing things that didn’t feel useful.
On the first day of my trip to Patagonia with my daughter, we went on our first hike. Seeing these mountains rise out of the valley again reminded me that I am but one tiny human in this world. These mountains will continue to stand long after I’m gone, as they did before I was born.
One of the hike days was climbing the Via Ferrata - rock climbing. One foot on a rock, then deciding where the other foot goes, where the hand goes, then the other hand. There is no time for negative thoughts or impatience, just the joy of being present on this mountain.
Remembering how powerful nature can be, the only thing I could do was be present in their midst. I stepped kindly and stayed on the path, placing a hand on a rock—then a foot. I laughed at the wind and the rain but kept moving. I thanked my mind for being patient, and I thanked my body that it kept moving. Because when I lose my patience, the mountain will win.
Now I’m home again and doing my best to continue being patient. I get out for a walk to see what is happening in nature, I am patient with my daily tasks, and I connect my mind and body as I love to do in yoga and Pilates. Oh, and I signed up for a rock climbing class:)
How are you beginning this month and this year trying to be more patient with yourself and others? Are you present to yourself as well as the world around you? Can you get off your phone for a few moments a day and look around at the faces on the street, the store, or your kitchen table?
