SIFTING

Our bearded dragon

lives in her terrarium

on a bed of ground up walnut shells.

 

Every week or so

while cleaning her home,

we sift this substrate

and find all kinds of things

like

old food and dead skin

which decay

and

make her home stinky.

 

What accumulates out of sight

always amazes me.

 

The same is true in our lives.

We may think we have set the foundation well,

but unhelpful habits seem to creep in

and accumulate

unannounced.

 

And if we don’t do some sifting,

we may never know

why our life is a bit stinky.

EARPLUGS

Losing your hearing is

easy:

listen to everything

LOUD!

Go to all the concerts you can,

stand in the front

and

don’t wear earplugs.

 

Soon you’ll begin to lose your ability

to detect the subtle notes

you used to enjoy.

 

The same is true in the rest of your life.

 

If you are constantly

tuned in to

the news,

the feeds,

email,

expectations,

anxiety,

fear

you’re going to lose

the subtlety

of living.  

 

You’ll become deaf

to what really matters.

 

You have to learn

when to put in

the earplugs.  

 

EMBRACE

“Embrace what is”, they said.

“Be grateful for what you have”, they counseled.

“Breathe”, they encouraged.

 

“Yeah right”, I thought.

“Whatever”, I said.

“Sure thing”, I rolled my eyes.

I’ve got places to be,

businesses to build,

children to raise,

dreams to chase hard!

 

And the harder I chased,

the more elusive it seemed.

 

So I stopped.

I began to practice

what they had been

teaching.

 

It wasn’t right away,

it wasn’t overnight,

but

soon,

breathing,

gratitude,

and

what is

began to embrace me.

 

And my dreams,

no less bold,

became

clearer

and

closer

than

ever.  

 

For when you embrace

and are embraced,

you let go

of everything

except

that which matters

most.