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‘One joy scatters a hundred griefs.’

– Chinese Proverb

Surely there are more important issues to be concerned about than our own happiness. After all, aren’t we called to be a selfless people; ever seeing about the needs of others in order to do a good life’s work?

Today is a new day.

I will not wallow in regret. I will not dwell on moments missed, on moments when my physical proximity was a poor substitute for a mind that was far away. Instead, I will choose to be present, fully present, and to show up exactly where I am. To offer myself fully to those that I love, knowing that this ‘now’ that is gifted to me is my moment to choose connection, to choose presence, and to forgive myself for not choosing it before.

We all build boxes around us and tuck ourselves inside. At first, life within the confines of our box is warm and cozy. We fit neatly in, and so we believe that our box was custom made for us. As far as we know, everyone rests comfortably in their own box.

As I sat in a lonely corner of a restaurant waiting for a dear friend to meet me for lunch, I couldn’t help but feel a little idle. Here I was in the middle of the day on a Tuesday, sitting in a restaurant in my jeans, waiting.

“I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”

– Christopher Reeve

Can I admit something? I can’t do it all. I can’t be in more than one place at a time. I can’t meet the needs of everyone.

Can I admit something worse? Despite knowing all of the above, I still find myself trying to prove it all wrong. Trying to stretch myself beyond my reach. Trying to throw as many balls in the air as I think I need to, and blaming myself for not being able to catch them all. Continue reading “Tattered Armour”

“If you want to be happy, be.”

– Leo Tolstoy

I’ve always thought of this quote by Leo Tolstoy as a call for us to recognize that we need only decide to be happy. Indeed, happiness is a choice. We can choose to be positive in our thinking. We can choose to be grateful for what we have. We can choose to be mindful that each moment that we experience is gifted to us; and that no other moment is guaranteed. In this way, we choose to be happy.

But what if Tolstoy’s words go much deeper than that?

Continue reading “To Be or not to Be: The Great Dilemma”

“When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.”

– Paul Coelho

It is so easy to find ourselves inundated in a world of ‘too much’. By saying ‘yes’ to offers, opportunities and obligations that come our way, we quickly become overwhelmed, overburdened and offset.

“Life, if well lived, is long enough.”

-Lucius Annaeus Seneca

I’ve always had this picture in my mind of what my life would look like. My life would be marked with great success, a testament to many years of hard work. My life would look seamless, with every detail fitting into a neat little box of accepted standards. My work would be enjoyable and its impact would be far-reaching. But this picture only captured big things. The reality is that I have worked hard, I’ve achieved a measure of success and I have enjoyed the work that I do, and yet, these very things have created a life of obligation, expectation and overwhelm.

Continue reading “Leaning Into Life”