Read this first:
My breath was knocked out of me at Jean Do's plight because I absolutely cannot imagine my brain being alive and not being able to do what I'm doing now – communicating my thoughts and words to you. But he wrote a whole book AFTER this happened to him. How? Then I read how. One LETTER at a time. How could he put up with the tediousness of doing this? The thought of communicating just this post, letter by letter, shoots a fear right through me, let alone a whole book.
Then it hit me. Where did he have to go? Nowhere. He couldn't move anything except one eye. What deadlines in life did he have to meet? None. All he could do was think clearly. There was no hurry. Plodding along, letter by letter, was absolutely the right thing to do – tediousness aside. Who cared how long it took to finish? Clearly it was better than lying there with all those thoughts bursting to get out and not doing ANYTHING about it. I imagine he woke up on the morning of his first day of beginning the work and wasn't in any hurry at all – despite the tediousness in front of him. What a great space to be in to start such a huge endeavor.
Before I begin my post each day I click on categories and check each one that might in some way be included in my post. Today as I scanned the category list, I practically checked every one of them. Whoa. Why was I doing that? I realized it was because in all of these aspects of my life I hurry and have no patience. I want my artwork finished, my new career as a writer on track, my fit club and Bikram yoga performances flawless, my inner work and spiritual development soaring, my blog to be done well and on time daily, my books illustrated and published, and…..I want it all done NOW.
WHERE am I going so fast? When I retired and had to figure out how to face empty days that came with no instructions, I panicked and had to hurry and figure out how to fill the next 30 years. Now that my days are filled with wonderful, creative, and healthy things to do, I should take a lesson from Jean Do. I have many, many years in front of me, also. I need to relax and enjoy the things I have to do instead of pounding the hell out of them to get them done, out of the way, checked off the list, etc.
And so, as another day goes by, I'm learning there is no top, no place to have to get to, no finish line – just endless days to be present and enjoy who I am and what I do, and….I have written.
You’ve got a great blog here well done congratulations