The freshly fallen snow May just be a morning commute hassle. Like a tassel that a cat toys with. Batted and bounced around Back and forth. Pulled and shredded With differing sized strands. One moment a cat’s delight. Next, it’s so boring That it’s cast aside. No longer good enough To keep a cat entertained. A hassle is similar. It’s in our face. We didn’t ask for it. It feels like it’s happening to us And now we’re confronted. We can have our hand at it. Try to control its frazzled edges, Which we often do for a while. Then the problem is solved. The puzzle was put together And it’s over and done with. Not a big deal after all. An annoyance really. And we move on with our days. Soon it is forgotten Just like that cat toy.
Tag: control
I open the window of my heart
I accept the ever changing season. The pendulum swings From extreme heat to bitter cold. I accept that among the cosmos The entire planet is smaller than The dot in the letter i I matter. I belong here. I walk the earth gently. I smile upon those I greet On this shared path. I accept that this moment is fleeting. It always is. And then the next. I allow myself to fully accept that which is out of my control. I cannot make the icy wind chill go away Nor stop the tide from crashing onto the shore. And since the earth is but a dot, My comings and goings hardly go noticed And I accept that too. My very existence means the world To my family and friends And that I do not take for granted. When I feel surrounded by love For myself and others I open the window of my heart And let love in. Inspired by: “Close your eyes and open the window of your heart. Only when you have no more need for acceptance will everything you do be accepted.” RUMI
A less frazzled commute
How can I have a more relaxed morning? I feel it is a frame of mind. I can choose to say, “I’m late!” and all the angst that follows. Or I can just say, “I’m doing the best I can. I got this!” And I usually then feel less hurried.
My morning commutes used to be highly stressful. Then I realized the main source of my stress occurred when I was traveling in the high-speed lane. As soon as I got over to the travel lane, I relaxed my grip on the steering wheel. My shoulders relaxed a bit. I took a few deep breaths. Now I hardly use the high-speed lane when I’m driving to work. I only will on the rare occasion when I have to pass another car. And guess what? I get to work on time!
I always seem to get there on time.
I don’t obsessively check the clock in my car during my commute. It doesn’t matter what it says. I’ll get there when I get there. And thank the stars I always do.
There’s a lot of road rage: angry, stressed, frazzled energy that crosses my path. I could choose to feel the tension boiling beneath the surface where you don’t want to be the recipient on the tail end when I lash out. I could charge full speed ahead in line with that energy or brazenly be “Me first!” with the tailgating and high emotions that follows.
Or I can choose to stay on my path: Just traveling. Passing through.
We all have the same want: to get to our destination safely. No one wants to get hurt.
How I react sets me up for good or bad. Is it worth saving a few more seconds?
The hardest part for me is being a passenger and relinquishing my need to be in control. I notice that at times I press my foot down on an imaginary brake when I think my husband is driving too close to a car in front of us. Over the years, my husband and I tend to only have arguments when we’re on the road. I judge his speed and length between cars. I am unable to relax and be present. All we want is to have a good conversation while we travel.
I can choose what to focus on. I can choose connection or outside factors beyond my control. I want to let go of my need to be in the driver’s seat. I want to make peace with the fact that I can’t control what other people on the road doing at that moment. Only I can decide how I want to interpret my thoughts and feel my emotions.
What would you choose?
Healing Insights 