One Thing

Releasing the Overwhelming World

The shock waves of a busy life tend to last quite some time. The overwhelm can become a way of living, engrained into our daily habits. Until we find our awareness of the fact that there is existence outside of that busy-ness we will keep pedalling the bicycle of constant must-do’s and have-to’s.
 
Over the last few years, I have been backing away or moving forward from the busy, ultra time-dependent life. Piece by piece, habit by habit, demand by demand I have been changing my daily ways towards a state of calm and careful consideration. Recently I have, once again, been nudged into a state of care for one thing. To be fully present for another; body, mind, and soul.  I think back and remember doing the same in my father’s last weeks on earth.  Most things would be placed off to the side while I focused on him alone. I was invited to concentrate, not on the material, but on the care and compassion for the comfort of one living being.  
 
At the time of writing this, one of our dogs is about to have a litter. I have spent the last two months tending to her. Proper eating and exercise for her pregnancy as well as soaking in any and all necessary knowledge. It is her and our first litter. I had other projects on the go at the beginning of this but it all felt overwhelming. Too much of everything and not enough of me to focus on the one thing that needed me.  That is not to say that those projects won’t get done but I needed to remember how to create space for her in this very moment.
 
I asked myself, why? You are a multi-tasker and a highly organized person. You can juggle many balls at one time, so to speak. Yes, I can and I could. But in both situations, if I had kept piling on all of those other tasks, I wouldn’t have been able to offer myself to the one being that was asking for me to be there for them. To hold their hand or paw, so to speak. I couldn’t have created the loving space that I did if I was being pulled in so many directions.
 
I recall once, being part of a community-based activity where each person had a hold of one long string. We were exploring how we were all connected, and we were, in some way. The one piece of string represented those connections. It was a beautiful exercise. Now, let’s add a twist to it. Imagine each of those connections being pulled hard by another. Perhaps you have multiple connections, which we all do. Imagine each of those being stretched tight some maybe knocking you off balance. Would it feel like a beautiful relaxing exercise exploring our beautiful connections? No. It would demonstrate how those connections can sometimes become demands and very stressful. Often, we have to set limits, say no and soften the string so we can feel the release of the demands from today’s world. There are times when we have to let connections go so we can experience the calm outside of the overwhelm. Not forever, but until we can find a place of balance for what we are being called to do in that moment.
 
In each of these circumstances above I let go of chosen projects that were pulling me. I did and will step back to them eventually, taking a hold of the string once again but to be there and hold the space necessary for a loved one, I must stop pedalling that bicycle.
 
In those weeks with my father, I could not have experienced a more loving time. Although a sad time, it was loving and beautiful. Spending days simply in each other’s presence beyond words was profoundly enlightening. Doing the simplest of tasks together brought me back to a softer time. Sitting in the garden that he had helped build or going to get his last haircut so he would look good when we saw mom once again, all took on a new meaning. They wouldn’t have felt as rich and deep as they did if I was being pulled in other directions. I couldn’t have given him and myself the deep focus needed to be fully present in that time.  Those were some of the most beautiful days of my life.
 
And now, I get to experience doing One Thing once again with another species. I am grateful that I can devote this time to being present for this moment in our lives. I get to fully experience it and she gets my, full undivided awareness.
 
It is about being intentional as to what strings we need to release or soften in any given situation. Which ones must we let go of so we can offer ourselves to another; our care, presence, love, time and space. 
 
We all have someone or something to whom we can offer our presence. Sometimes that is ourselves most of all. Humans, animals, nature, the land, the water. Chose any one in the moment, soften the strings, release the overwhelm and let the shock waves of a busy life turn into gentle waves on the beach lapping melodically in your heart. Do this ONE THING in this ONE MOMENT.

The little ones are due to arrive earthside any hour now and I wouldn’t change one thing.

 “The best gift you can give to someone is your presence.”
 ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Tiny arrivals, 5 boys and a girl. Silken Windhound momma and pups. PC @kcwynn