Thursday, August 6, 2020

Hamster Wheel Life

Let It Go

“Letting the cats into the backyard, I stepped outside for a brief moment. A refreshing breeze rustled the green branches. Sun-dappled patterns of light and shadow created a lovely mosaic on the grass that I’d never noticed before. A natural concerto—birds singing, cicadas chirping, bees buzzing—resonated in the early morning stillness. The hush of harmony hovered around me. I didn’t want to leave.”

Sarah Ban Breathnach (Simple Abundance)

          Sarah Ban Breathnach writes about waking to find her books and papers flung on the floor, and her room in a mess from working late into the night. She sees it as a reflection of her inner chaos. Work doesn’t have to occupy our lives 24/7. This is one thing the pandemic has taught us—that health requires balance. We don’t have to continue the hamster-wheel routine of flying out of our beds before daylight so that we can do what must be done before we shower, dress, jump into our cars, or rush to the metro, and deal with the insane crush of humanity to get into work, then turn around and do it all in reverse at five o’clock. Some of us can work just as effectively from home and set our own pace. And for those who must go in to do their jobs, the highways and byways will be freer flowing with fewer cars. It’s a win-win.

          Having the ability to walk away from the increasingly hectic lifestyle of this era is a gift. To be sure, it would have been nice to receive this gift of insight without having to go through a pandemic, but we apparently were not able to do that. Mother Nature had to slam on the brakes. So many people have died for us to learn the lesson, let’s not let their sacrifice be in vain.

          When you feel yourself getting frazzled either from work, or from being home bound, or from kids yapping in your ear all day long, do what Breathnach suggests above. Step outside and listen to the sounds of nature. I walked Liza about seven o’clock last night and the crickets and cicadas were louder than the train whistles down the hill. Their rhythmic sawing will synch with your brainwaves and turn down the volume of your sympathetic nervous system. Relax and take a few deep breaths. You’ve got this. We’ve all got this. Just breathe and let it flow through.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane


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