Monday, February 20, 2012

one day a week: gratitude outside, mindfulness inside

i was raised mostly indoors in the philippines, in an air-conditioned existence. and a good little life it was. but what a shame, to have been living on a tropical island and to very rarely have enjoyed the jungles and beaches my country must have had, and still has to offer. 

but perhaps this is why i have become addicted to finding a way to get outside.


there is a quality of light, unlike any other - especially on cloudy days, when concrete gives way to to the elements. i find myself breathing more deeply. i retreat to the quietest corner in my mind: a vantage point that sees and feels with distinct clarity. it is when i get outside that i find peace enough to get me through the chaos of the moment, the day, the week. 


it is when we are outside that i spend most of my time being grateful.

: for the wife who complements my inability to let my son explore the rocks further than my comfort zone instead of his.


: for the son who loves the beach and ocean as much as i do.


: for the daughter who is still small enough for us both to enjoy her naps on my chest.


: for our vancouver family, the people who make it possible for us to carry on with our lives the way we do. 


: for the city that offers us so much more than just a place to live and work.


i am so very grateful.


though if i was being honest, the wife would probably say that it is when we are outside that i am most "spacey." 

i really must work on being more mindful, conscious, present. 

because it was when i was most grateful that the girl had her very first tastes of the sunset beach sand. 

 (go ahead. shake your head. i already have.)

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