The lilac is ready to burst into blossom. When it does, that lovely tree adorning the space by the front gate, will release a scent so sweet and delectable I’ll be able to smell it as soon as I walk out the front door. I can’t hurry it into bloom. It will be ready in its own good time.
The blueberry and gooseberry bushes are laden with flowers, as are my fruit trees: apples, peach, cherries, plums, pear. The strawberries are hinting that any day now I might just see a white blossom. My feet bare, I tread gently on the overgrown grass. Here in the garden, I slow down. This is my time. I am nurtured, nourished and renewed.
How many different types of bird song are there, I wonder.
The sunshine isn’t so warm today, but I can feel Spring. Mother Nature is alive.
Each day, about 100 billion emails are flying through cyber space. The same goes for 20 billion texts and 500 million tweets.
Our modern world is fast moving, and there is so much data flying about.
When I was a child, we had two TV stations.
Me with my older sister Heidi, 1972, Woodridge, Qld, Australia
To help us deal with our busy lives, we have labour saving devices. And yet, look around you: people are more frantic than ever. Their adrenals are on overload as they try and multi-task their way through life.
Do we really need to be so plugged in to all that information? What happens to us when we’re ‘buzzing’ with so much stuff, ideas and movement?
The human body wasn’t designed to move much faster than three miles an hour, and yet look at us. High-speed trains, cars, planes and so on. Our body’s force field is interrupted in so many ways, with travel being just one of them.
In my experience, it is only when we truly slow down that we actually have a sense of peace and contentment. This is, of course, easier said that done, particularly if you’re of the ‘just do it’ personality like I am. But soul time, that precious space in between the frantic attempts at hanging onto the merry-go-round of life, is vital if we wish to stay present, calm and not only enjoy life, but celebrate and partake of its rich rewards.
There is absolute luxury and abundance to be found in the scent of jasmine or the faultless purple hue of a lilac flower. I know that when I have honoured myself and made the space to sit quietly beneath the plum trees, with nothing on my mind and no deadlines to meet, I returned refreshed and am able to give more of myself when I connect with the people in my life.
The constant adrenaline rush we’ve been programmed by our culture to seek, actually uses the same part of the brain that is involved in addictions. So, if we want to live a wholesome, soul-filled life, it means taking a step back. Put the mobile phone down. Give yourself a strict time limit when using social media. Unplug from the NOISE.
Flick your shoes off and stand on the grass. Listen to those birds. Breathe in the scent of pine needles on the forest floor. Lay your face against some fresh green moss. Ah, yes, doesn’t that feel amazing?
Feel the sunshine on your skin. To live a centred life where we not only cope with what is before us, but thrive in our every day living, means coming back to a sense of place. Give yourself permission to sip a mug of chai tea or watch lightning forks pierce pewter clouds.
Read a book for pleasure.
Stop what you’re doing and talk to a friend.
Make love, not out of habit, but because you value your lover and want to unite.
Arrange flowers in a vase. Watch the clouds. Cuddle a child.
Our soul is calling out for these moments where we truly notice life. Less. Slow. Here.
Breathe. Be still and silent. Don’t worry, the world will still be racing by at electronic speed. But here, now, this is all you have. Count your blessings.
Here is the truth: Soul time is deliciously intoxicating. Sip on the sweet nectar of this stillness. Breathe the beautiful air. Listen to the laughter of the insects and birds. This−this−is your one beautiful, precious life. Your story isn’t just about your achievements and successes or who you impress or what grades you get in exams. It’s about what you notice as you walk Home. Did you see, really see, all the bounty She left by the roadside? Mountains, canyons, lakes, rivers, creeks, plains, deserts.
Mangoes, watermelon, passionfruit, tomatoes, basil leaves, a sun-ripened strawberry.
Moss, eucalyptus trees, sequoia trees, pine needles. Rabbits, moose, bees… Friendship. Family. Laughter.
And what about the bounty you can’t hold in your hands, but only in your heart? A smile. Kindness. Fairness. Justice. Compassion. Courtesy. Love.
Are you searching for the meaning of life? Stop. It’s here. Right now. Open your eyes. Close your eyes. It’s that simple.
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