Last week, I was in Maine with my two teenage child units, staying with family on a heavenly slice of rustic Maine oceanfront (my fave). This sunset decorated the sky on our last night there and it always amazes me how fast the sky changes during a sunset. If I turn my back to answer my texts or shuck the corn, thinking ?oh, I?ll sit and enjoy that lovely sky in a few minutes,? I often find myself S.O.L. (Simply Out of Luck 🙂 )
And, as often happens for me, nature got me thinking about life as a human. I was thinking about how often we turn our back for just a few minutes, or a few months, or a few years, only to find that we missed the sunset?or that tender time when our child is morphing into an adult?or that someone we love left the physical body that we?re so accustomed to finding them in.
We often find ourselves, day after day, so focused on what seems URGENT, that we miss out on what?s IMPORTANT. And that?s a bummer. Urgent things act important, but they?re actually not?they?re simply in our face. Housework, texts, emails, and social media are all examples of things that can feel urgent, demanding our attention, when most of the time they?re not urgent. And they can fill hours of our days, and keep our attention off important things.
Important things tend to be more quiet. They?re not so much in our face. Examples of important things are taking the time to nourish your body, giving your child or spouse your full attention, consistently engaging in a creative project you love, or connecting with nature. These things matter much more in the ?life in our years? (or not) and the full expression of our unique awesomeness on this planet (or not). These things offer less in the area of instant gratification (?OMG! My FB post got 200 likes!? or ?There! My house looks all clean and MarthaStewart-esque.?), and more in the area of deep personal fulfillment and connection.
Every once in a while, the two coincide?like when your kid comes running in the house with a broken arm. That?s urgent AND important. But more often than not, they don?t co-exist and they can trick you. I invite you to ask yourself, throughout the day?
Is this urgent (but not important) or important (but not urgent)?
And then I suggest you try giving the important things your attention first, and giving those fakers (OMG, I am SO urgent!) a number to get in line. Maybe experiment for a week and see what you think.
Does this resonate for you??I?d love to hear from you!…chime in below and let me know your thoughts.
Have a wonderful day. I?ll check in with you again next Tuesday, the day before registration closes for Body Sass? Cleanse Group Program! (Important, but not currently Urgent 😉 )
Create Vibrant Health: BodyMindSpirit?!
With love & Soul Food,
Laurie
Beautiful post Laurie and a wonderful reminder as my daughter enters her Senior Year….xoxo
Thank you Isabelle!
RIGHT?!?! How is it that my son, and your daughter, will be a senior in high school? On what planet is my granddaughter turning three next month?! (apparently, this planet!) Life is a beautiful gift, most especially each instant that is the PRESENT (get it? gift..present 🙂 and I need the reminder as much as anybody.
xo
I loved your post… it’s always helpful to be reminded to simply enjoy! We forget that “allowing” is actually a “doing” thing. It’s an action (so busybodies need not feel like they’re slacking). I sense that as we are mindlessly running about tasking after the next task, the Universe is chilling out because it can’t assist you when your mindlessly tasking after the instant gratification of ticking the box of the task being complete. In that moment, the Universe is allowing… it’s “allowing” you to be “caught-up” as opposed to assisting you in allowing the joy and beauty within each moment to surface. Just a few thoughts from The Bunnyman! Love you!
BunnyMan! I love your thoughts and perspective?thank you. xo
I agree with all you wrote, and especially love your insight that ?allowing is actually a doing? THANG. Giving our life, and the people in it, our love and appreciation isn?t something that just ?happens??we create it with our mindful attention.
With gratitude?
xo
I just had to share this email, sent this morning from a community member. I love HER wise words!
“Thank you for your wise words this morning- it does all go so quietly and steadily. I was thinking yesterday with all of the excitement over the eclipse how those fleeting moments were really no more amazing than any other moments of the day that pass by without any special acknowledgement. Every day is something to celebrate…or at least to be present for.”
So true, sweet peep! There are hundreds of events, moments, and interactions EVERY DAY that are equally as cool as the eclipse. We just don’t buy special glasses for them, and because they’re part of everyday life, they often escape our notice.
xo
Great post Laurie! Lots of truths here!
Thank you, Richard! So pleased some of these musings resonate for you.
🙂
xo