Perspective...

Years ago I heard Shakti Gawain, author of Creative Visualization, describe life as a beautiful bowl of fruit. She said that we too often have our face stuck so far into the bowl that we don't see the glory. I get it. I have a brief workday commute down a lovely tree-lined street, then past an open field where I sometimes see deer on their morning trek. But I often catch myself seeing no further than the windshield, so caught up in day-to-day ruminations that I forget to look up at the beauty that surrounds me.

My dear spouse and I were in San Francisco visiting his family this past week and had a few unstructured days. No laundry, no vacuuming, no cooking for the week ahead - none of my usual to-do's.While I love my work, what I often crave is space. Sitting on a deck overlooking the city, I had that, even if temporarily.

It is important for me to have these times away, whether that is a literal trip away, or a walk in the woods here at home. As a person who functions best with structure, I need to be mindful of not letting that solidify into a rut. Sometimes it feels like I go through the gate at work on Monday morning, blink a few times, and poof! it's Friday. Where does the time go, not when I'm having fun, but when I'm not paying attention?

The program tells us that we can start our day over anytime. I would extend that to reminding myself that I can change my perspective anytime. I met a woman once who drank after 12 years and she said it was because she wanted the feeling of starting over. I don't need to take a drink to start over or energize my spiritual program. Sometimes all it takes is to really hear the words of my morning prayers, rather than recite by rote, or consciously pay attention to the person I'm interacting with.Where I place my attention is a choice. I can stay trapped between my ears or I can open my eyes and my mind to the world around me.

Taking a break helps me to catch my cosmic breath and view the world from a different perspective. Attending some great meetings (shout out to Bernal New Day!), time with family or wandering around a different city serve to clear my mind and heart just a bit. As I re-enter my usual routine, I pause to think of how I can re-set at any time, in any place.

How do you pay attention? What do you do when you need the re-set button?