Our Generosity Gem last week encouraged us to embrace the confusion that arises from our current state of affairs. Getting comfortable with ‘confused’ is a stepping stone on the path to figuring things out.  But as we all know, getting comfortable with “confusion” is not easy to do.  I catch myself constantly bouncing from thoughts about “how did we get here!”…. to thoughts about “when will all this turn for the better!”

I have found that an antidote for this back-and-forth rattling in my brain is the wisdom of Mindfulness… that is, actively attending to the present moment rather than being preoccupied, distracted, or acting without awareness to our internal experiences.   Helpful to me in this regard has been the insights of Thich Nhat Hanh and his Foundation website. Encouraging the goal of “Dwelling Happily in the Present Moment”, the website shares the following wisdom…

Aware that life is available only in the present moment, strive to live deeply each moment of daily life. Try not to lose ourselves in dispersion or be carried away by regrets about the past, worries about the future, or craving, anger or jealousy in the present. Practice mindful breathing to be aware of what is happening in the here and now. Learn the art of mindful living by touching the wondrous, refreshing and healing elements that are inside and around us, in all situations. In this way, we will be able to cultivate seeds of joy, peace, love and understanding in ourselves, thus facilitating the work of transformation and healing in our consciousness”.

Amidst this pandemic, may we all find moments each day to “touch the wondrous, refreshing and healing elements that are inside us and around us”.

Be well everyone.

Fred Stoltz, Sr. Program Director
The James Company
(414) 690-3426
Email: fstoltz@jamescompany.com