Intentional Pauses

The hamster wheel never seems to end…and for what?

Sometimes I want to return to the days where play and imagination were all I had on my agenda for the day. Where the flight of a bumble bee was fascinating enough to stop me in mid-sentence. To cause me to pause long enough to see, notice and experience the moment.

Ahhh…to breathe in the warmth of the sun and see the brilliance of the green in the trees. Psychologically, grounding ourselves in the moment of ‘now’ literally brings our body to a place of peace, calm and serenity. Anxieties cannot exist when we see places of beauty and soak in appreciation all around us.

I remember when I was holding my screaming baby in the middle of the night. I could not soothe her. I was so exhausted and my insides were boiling. But then I paused, and I realized that I could hear her crying. She was alive and her wailing was a sign of that life. I was thankful she was in my arms and my attitude quickly changed to joyful surrender, holding her the rest of the night. Thanksgiving replaced my annoyance. I remember thinking, “This is life.” Though inconvenient and tiring, I wouldn’t trade that moment for anything.
Intentionally pausing today to take in all five of the senses may change an outcome. Listen, see, smell, touch and taste as if your next breath depended on it. And then, enjoy the moment.