Finding light in love.

Do you ever find yourself caught in a storm of thoughts, ideas, and possibilities? Have you tried writing them all down?

Writing • Reading • Dreaming • Loving • Cleaning • Being • Creating • Singing • Dancing • Cooking • Believing • Surprising • Sleeping • Smiling • Noticing • Breathing• Laughing

This is where I find my light.
The light within. The light from outside.
These are the practices that keep me grounded.

In taking time to notice, I found myself caught in a whirlwind of ideas.
What should I do first? What should I do next?
I noticed this, and came to a realization.

The most important thing to do is the now.

Be here now.
Now my fingers are typing on the backlight keys of my laptop.
The whir of the fan provides a subtle background noise to calm the air.
The sun from the sky shines brightly all around – every pane of glass is lit up inside and out.
My body is at ease, except for the tension at my neck and shoulders.
Soften. Release. Breathe. Drink water.

Lately when caught in a thought cloud, racing mind, and otherwise unsettled state, I light a candle, and use essential oils.

I find great comfort in subtle scent, bringing me quite literally back to my senses. The oil is soft on my palm. The smell of peppermint brings me to the present moment. The sensation of the oil tingling on the back of my neck lingers.
The light of a single candle burns bright at the center of the table. The flickering light and soft scent is an object of focus.

All else around me could seem chaotic to a casual observer –

Mounds of clothes strewn about…
Stacks of dishes on every available flat, elevated surface…
A tornado of toys thrown in every direction…
Piles of paperwork in disarray…

Life is messy, sure. But life is also simple.

If you accept the premise that our purpose in this life is to love,
Then the practices of loving, being, breathing, and noticing, are elevated,
As we create time for the most important practices.
For now, this breath, this time and space. Is all that we have, and all that we need.