Short Slips of Time

"There's something in everybody

that longs for that awakening

to be more true to yourself."

Eckhart Tolle

We are practicing loving kindness, attempting to spread good feelings to others we come into contact with, both friend and foe; but, we too often overlook ourselves.  When we do not nurture our lovely selves with loving kindness, we will create feelings of emptiness, loss, resistance, and withdrawal.  We cannot just give it all away or we run dry.

When working full time, raising a family, and meeting the agendas of others, it seems impossible to find time for ourselves.  We look at our planners hoping to find a slot to pencil ourselves in.  If we wait for a date with ourselves written in pencil, chances are very good it will be erased with something else penned in with permanent ink!

We need to find short slips of time throughout our day to maintain our equilibrium.  And this can be done with very little effort.  Keep a votive candle in your bathroom with a tea light. Light the candle and feel the presence of the flame as we run through our morning routine.  Begin the day with a touch of reverence. No matter how long or how short our lunch offers, we can walk outside or find a nearby bench to sit and step out of routine.  Traveling home, take a different route and notice people, flowers, and homes.  Keep a book of affirmations in the kitchen so while we wait for the water to boil, we can quickly scan some good thoughts.   As the family is at the table, take turns sharing one good thing  that occurred that day.  After dishes, we can slip our shoes off and momentarily stand on the solid ground outside our door while looking up to the sky.  When we fall into bed exhausted, gently bring our minds to  appreciation and gratitude.  Allow the words to slip from our heart uncensored:  "I appreciate my pillow and I am grateful for the day to be over."