This Is What We’re Doing Now

View of sunflowers and the mountains. The French Broad River runs along the edge of the trees where the field meets the slope. Following Helene all of this would have been under water, ripped bare by the hurricane.

The weather has finally cooled to a point where the windows can be open again.

 I'm grateful for clear skies and some sunshine after 2 weeks of solid gray and rain. (Apparently a precipitation record at the airport 🙄) While meditating this morning, a bird chattered just outside the window.  When I tuned in, the message that came through is “this is what we’re doing now.”

It’s been a raw almost 3 weeks since Helene changed the environment of the mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and beyond.

This is what we’re doing now.

All you can ever do is what is in front of you, with whatever information you have. Whether that is the weather itself or an event, or something else entirely - all you can ever do is manage what’s right in front of you.

This is what we’re doing now.

It could be a horrific natural disaster. It could be heat or snow or drought. It may be challenges at work with other co-workers. It could be horrific traffic when you’re already late. Or your pet’s behavior not exactly being what you want in the moment. All you can do is manage what’s right here right now.

This is what we’re doing now.

After all, the only constant in the universe is change.

This is what we’re doing now.

The art of pivoting, especially when things get tense, and intense, is a skill that takes practice. Being able to sit with the rush of emotions as they ricochet through your system like a pin ball machine takes practice.

The only way to practice is to experience it.

This is what we’re doing now.

Keep breathing.

Look for the next smallest step you can take in a direction that will best support you in the here and now, and take it.

That might be nothing more than taking a big breath.

This is what we’re doing now.