The Fork in the Road
“When you come to a fork in the road…. Take it.” (Possibly) Yogi Berra
We have control over so few things in our lives, but we do have control over the most important: how we respond to what arises. Each time we experience discomfort in the form of annoyance, impatience, even anger, we have an opportunity to shift course to arrive at a place of ease, and even joy.
In this season of rush and run, with much to do in a constricted time frame, we’ll have many opportunities to try this out.
When we’re out walking the dog on a cold rainy night and he stops to sniff every five feet for a long time, and we just want to get home to be warm and dry…
When we squeeze in a quick stop at the post office to mail a package to a far away loved one and the person in front of us is individually stamping a towering pile of wedding invitations…..
When we pop in to a local shop, knowing just what we want, and zip up to the counter…. Only to find someone hemming and hawing over which item to select as a gift for a grandchild…
All of these events can come with an energy of future - “When this is done I will be happy” - instead of present moment flow; an energy of doing rather than being.
But we have the power to change course away from the uncomfortable, depleting, isolating emotion in the body, to one that relaxes and supports us, helps our well-being and connects us to others.
In the instances above, can we wonder about the joy felt by the sniffing dog and share in his delight? Can we imagine the excitement and joy felt by the bride-to-be, and her family, and share in that joy with them? Can we sense into the joy that comes from selecting a gift for a beloved child, and also the joy the child may feel when receiving that gift, and can we share that joy?
Why not try it out? The next time you’re impatient with someone, notice where the shoulders are, if there is a sense of being closed off. What happens if you share the joy of the other person or even try or aspire to share the joy? Where do the shoulders go? Back? Down? Does the front of the body open up? Does ease have room to expand and do you feel connected in some way to those whose joy you're sharing?
We hope that you will join us this week as we explore dipping into the bottomless well of joy.
May all beings, without exception, find joy in the joy of others,
Your friends at CMP
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CMP thrives on donations. All of our weekly sessions are free and open to the public, but donations are essential to our sustainability. CMP is a licensed charity in the state of CT as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Checks can be given to facilitators at our weekly sits or mailed to Community Mindfulness Project, P.O. Box 1713, New Canaan, CT 06840. Credit cards are accepted in the Giving section of the website (www.CommunityMindfulnessProject.org). For donations of wired funds or appreciated securities, please email welcome@communitymind.org. Thank you!
Photo Credit: Lorie Shaull