WHEN YOU ARE WAITING, YOU ARE NOT JUST WAITING
Perhaps, here in the waiting, there is more happening than what you might be able to perceive. Maybe, far beyond the busyness and noise of daily life, there is still a present moment that is rich with meaning and beauty worth drawing nearer to. This does not mean that everything happening in the present moment is pretty or lovely, because that is far from the case.
"Being present" to this very moment doesn’t mean that we have to make sense of everything that is happening right now. Of course, there are very real things happening in the present that must be addressed. And at the same time, as you process all of that and navigate through the specific things that you are able to do with the capacity and resources you have, may you also know that you are allowed to take a moment to breathe, wherever and however you can.
Because while you are waiting for things to fall in place, there is so much happening in the present moment, and you are allowed to take even just a few moments to focus on the smallest thing as a reminder of how you might be able to move through this space as you wait for what’s ahead.
Perhaps, the way the light filters in through the blinds across the room is more than just something that is happening all on its own and not connected to you in any way. Perhaps it is also a reminder of the ways in which sunlight is finding you even in spaces that are somewhat closed off… and maybe it could be a reminder of the grace that is moving toward you in this very space.
Perhaps, the crack in the tile on the floor or the small crack in the sidewalk outside are more than just wear and tear of a constructed space but reminders that there is movement happening in this space… this space has not been stagnant… every footprint and handprint has an effect… and this matters when it comes to taking care of the earth and also when it comes to the ways you too are not stagnant, and your presence is valid and has significance, even if all you are doing is just breathing, making small fingerprints or imprints in some way.
Perhaps the way it feels to lie down after a long day, or to go and do something enjoyable after doing nothing at all – whatever small shift serves as an action to help you get to a place of rest, comfort, joy, or just taking a short break without having to worry – perhaps that event is not some isolated thing but a small hint that maybe, just maybe, there are other opportunities out there like this, too.
When you are waiting, perhaps you are not just waiting in this present moment that can be intense in a billion different ways. You are also learning how to be in a space where you are allowed to slow down and observe the most seemingly insignificant thing and what it might reveal to you. Not every moment or every thing you look at will be this way. Instead, this process of learning how to be here is learning how to practice stillness, but not putting pressure on yourself to do it the "right way." Instead, choose to focus on how you can welcome grace in the present moment, no matter what you are waiting for.
More in this week's series called "One Day at a Time, Your Story is Unfolding", only with a subscription in the Storyteller App.
More tomorrow…
Sincerely,
Morgan Harper Nichols
@thestorytellerco
@morganharpernichols
