"I have decided to stick with love, hate is too great a burden to bear." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.I like to stop the world every-once-in-a-while and just get quiet. No distractions, just me and silence. Over the years, I have gotten very good at meditating; clearing my mind and re-centering myself. It's something that I know I have to do or else I would probably go mad.
While I have never subscribed to the "sticking your head in the sand" method of avoiding the world, I have found myself making changes to my life that allow me to escape the world that is going on around me. You see, I have a tendency to let even the smallest things make me crazy. Things that would go unnoticed by most folks can make me go ballistic in a heartbeat.
Like the other day... My son-in-law and I went to the grocery store to pick up a few items for dinner and as I pushed the shopping cart into the store, I was nearly run over by a woman in one of those motorized rascal-type shopping carts. She came barreling around the end cap with no intention of slowing down or stopping for anyone. So, you know me, I ripped the restrictor plate off of my cart, did a little bump drafting, got her loose and pushed her into the wall. Ok, so I made that up, but I wanted to. You see, most people would have let that go but not me. And that is why I am the King of Making Mountains out of Mole Hills.
My first-grade teacher, Miss Davis, evidently recognized this trait in me which is why I spent more time standing in the corner with my nose against the wall than any other first-grader that ever graced the halls of Johnson Heights Elementary School. She knew, that after a while against the old wall, I was settled down enough to re-engage the 3 R's. Looking back, I now know that I have had a life long struggle with how to cope with a world (my world) gone made at times.
So let's get back to this whole getting quiet thing. Sometimes I just need to get away from everything and everyone and close my eyes and just get quiet. Most of you know exactly what I mean. The news each day is riddled with stories of hate, violence and uncertainty. Our lives are filled with stress and if we don't take some time to clear our hearts and minds, we will go crazy. Trust me, I've been to Crazy Town and it's scary.
While I make a lot of fun of Helen Keller, there is one quote of hers that I absolutely love which strikes right at the heart of what I am trying to say. She once said, "The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart." Which is why I believe that we close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss, dream or try to re-focus ourselves. You can't do any of those things while you are distracted. At least, not very good anyway.
So, if life is starting to get the best of you, call a Time-Out. Take a break. Turn off the television, close your eyes and get quiet for a while. It will help you re-focus on the important things in life, like peace and love and Planet Kirby.
Be Well.
Bill
