I have heard that phrase a number of times lately. Time was a phrase like that likely would have irritated me. Now it has some sort of resonance. Sea change in me? Maybe. Probably. Feeling a sort of non-religious spiritual yearning.
So what does it mean? I guess it means take things you can't change in stride. It is what it is. Accept things and do your best. It is what it is. A type of acceptance. I hear it and think of the Serenity Prayer (the Prayer of St. Francis). Similar sentiment.
Why me? Why now? There are things in my life I still struggle to accept. On a daily basis, and also in trying to find my center. Still. After all these years. Also, I have two colleagues who just underwent life-threatening emergencies, possibly related to stress. Stress I am also subjected to. So I'd like an escape valve for that stress too. Don't sweat the small stuff. It's all small stuff. No. I wish that were the case, but it's not.
Adding to my Zen conversion. (My friend RR is a Zen adherent--I guess it can be more of a life philosophy than a religion.) Today I contacted an old but misplaced friend. Andrea was a college roommate years ago at MSU. A very close friend. But as things happen, we went our separate ways. She was always into Transcendental Meditation (TM) and it became a major part of her life. We last saw each other about 15 years ago. She inducted Red and me into TM at the time, but I never got into it. Now I think maybe I should give it another hearing.
Anyway, I had Googled her a few times in the last few years, got a couple of real citations, but no contact information. I tried it again today, and voila! A phone number. So I just called her, and found her in the car with her husband on the way to Chicago. We talked for about an hour. Probably depleted her battery. I instantly recognized her voice, and it was as if we had never been out of touch. We talked about people and things I have not thought of in years.
So I feel very fortunate. And spiritual. And meditative. I just emailed the TM contact in my city to see about getting started again. If I do, I'm sure you will all be subjected to more on the topic.
Stay tuned.
Om.
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