Temporal
Each morning, before going to work I start my day by sitting in my favorite spot, reading a book, and listening to the morning awaken. This is a habit that I have gotten into this summer while school is out. During the school year, it’s up at 5:45 AM and out the door by 6:45, drop my son off at school at 7:05, in to work by 7:30. Rigorous. The evenings are the reverse. Pick him up from school after basketball practice, come home, cook, etc, try to squeeze in some time for reading and for going to the YMCA … oh, yeah, and Hobbs likes to go for a walk, too. Then, there’s that thing called photography. Oh yeah, I’m married too!
Compassion
So, at this time of year, there is a relative amount of peace. There is time to observe, contemplate, and just be. I’m finding that I really like that time. Time to “be”.
Lately, I’ve been making a more conscious effort to be aware. When I’m eating, I’m just eating, not eating and reading. While reading, just reading. While giving my wife a kiss, just giving her a kiss … totally mindless as to what is my schedule. My thought on this one thing in particular is what could be more important, at this time, than putting everything that I have into that kiss? No, I’m not talking about a kiss for sexual gain, but merely a kiss to show affection, appreciation, and love. For what better way can I show that importance than giving my significant other my total time and attention in that brief moment? If it makes me 20 seconds later to work, so be it. They’ll have to wait! 
Random Thoughts
So, yesterday was an exemplar of what could be. In the morning, although I had to shorten my normal “be” time, I had the pleasure to view the birds on the feeder and on the ground. I got to see a mother bird feed her, not so small, baby. I had the opportunity to get rained on while I was out taking pictures after work. This gave me an opportunity to smell the ozone in the air, see raindrops fall upon a small pond, feel the breeze blow through the trees, and hear the leaves rustle overhead.
I had the pleasure of reading some passages from the Tao Te Ching. I have never read it and I just bought a copy yesterday. Fantastic! Anyway, it was a great day … each and every single moment of it. So now, it’s 5:45 AM and time to go fill the feeder, head to that favorite spot on the couch, read a bit, and wait for the world to awaken.
#12 From the Tao:
The five colors make one blind in the eyes
The five sounds make one deaf in the ears
The five flavors make one tasteless in the mouthRacing and hunting make one wild in the heart
Goods that are difficult to acquire make one cause damageTherefore the sages care for the stomach and not the eyes
That is why they discard the other and take this
No better words have I ever heard to describe simple living. Something to contemplate, if you choose.
No related posts.
6 Responses to “A glimpse of what could be …”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
My friend…Just wanted to say I’m moving to seattle washington and not sure when I’ll be on line…take care and keep on shooting.
I enjoyed this post because it’s true–everyone is so into multi-tasking, we risk missing the simple things that make life so meaningful. I love The Message, a wonderful paraphrase of the Bible, where it says (in Colossians 2:6): “School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.”
These pictures are a real study. I love the action in the first–lots of soothing movement. The second is so rich in color and texture, it makes me stare. Really nice work!
P.S. I didn’t see that amazing second photo until I’d left a comment. LOVE the green background, and the great moment you captured between the feeder & feedee (is that a word?). Wonderful!
A time to just “be” indeed. Sometime pick up most anything written by Tony DeMello. He was a fascinating guy. He was a Jesuit of Italian/Indian background. He strikes the common ground between Western and Eastern cultures so pefectly. “Wake up an be!”
Sometimes I forget.
Being “mindful” is the key; do everything wholeheartedly,not half-assed (or mindless). It’s amazing how life seems to open up when we do this. Sadly, many live their whole lives being mindless.
I love the raindrop photo and your wonderful notes on mindfulness.
As for the tao
I rediscovered the Tao Te Ching about 12 years ago and I have been at home ever since.