Breathe Deeply into Life

Be kinder than necessary

for everyone you meet

is fighting some kind of battle.

T.H. Thompson and John Watson

Everyone knows the importance of washing off fruit before devouring it!  I learned quite awhile ago that strawberries were the only fruit having seeds on the outside rather than on the inside.  What I didn't know, strawberries are chemically sprayed more heavily and thoroughly than any other fruit.  I shudder while rinsing the fruit, as I so often just pop one into my mouth.

So frequently we lack awareness about what goes on around us. Either we are caught up in our own world or we falsely believe others have a perfect life and dismiss looking any deeper. We get so stuck in our own challenges we neglect to notice the struggles of others. We may cave into ourselves, withdrawing from what surrounds us and hide in our own darkness.

Yes, we all march to a different drummer, but we are all marching none the less. A kind gesture to someone else also elevates our own sense of worthiness. Opportunities surround us to momentarily be present in the life of an other. Offering bird feed for the birds, fresh water for the bird bath, lovingly dead heading the flowers or a gentle knowing smile to a stranger pulls us out of ourselves and into the world.

Unlike strawberries, our seeds are tucked away deep inside just waiting to be nourished. Like strawberries, our outsides have layers upon layers of 'stuff' we have applied for protection. It is time we wash off our own chemicals and breathe deeply into life. Let love soak through our open pores and feel alive again!