The Way Life Simply Is ...

"Be willing to be a beginner

every single morning."

Meister Eckhart

It is a beautiful morning, so I wander out to the deck with coffee cup in hand.  Sitting on my bench, I look up and see endless blue  heaven being spread across the sky.  Not one cloud is present.  The sun is still rising in the East, and the grass is thick with dew.  I watch the birds come and go, knowing my neighbor has plenty of food and corn cobs for the entire neighborhood. 

Sudden movement breaks my trance and I catch a glimpse of a hawk zeroing in on my neighbor's yard.  Birds scatter everywhere and I feel anxiety churn in my belly.  Hawks are very special to me, but I find my self looking the other way, not wanting to see what this magnificent bird has been born and bred to do.  I want to ignore the carnage and deliberately look the other way.  I want to begin this morning again, void of all disharmony.

To live more realistically during this gentle morn, I decide to face the killing behavior of the hawk, but I do not dwell on this sadness.  I continue to let my senses absorb all of the loveliness of this beautiful morning, overshadowing the darker parts of life.  We need to embrace both the pleasant and the unsavory, finding harmony when we balance the truth of the way life simply is.

We can begin each day anew, leaving behind our burdens from the day before.  Today does not have to be weighted by all of the yesterdays.  Yes, problems and responsibilities are still present, but when we look with fresh eyes and an open mind, we frequently can discover a new perspective.  When we accept (not condone) what is, and do not dwell on the negative, placing our focus on the positive we will avoid being stuck.  We can navigate through our day with less drama not feeling emotionally spent.