The Rush to Live

Being alive takes time. This is a quote from my daily reader for March 16th by Mark Nepo called The Book of Awakening. Being alive takes time. I have that phrase underlined and starred and I even wrote it in the margin. It is a perfect reminder for the times we are living in at this very moment.

It got me to wondering how much of my life I’ve spent focused on the next thing and taken myself completely out of where I happened to be. After all, I am a ‘get it done’ kind of person. The only way out is through, I say, and then I am relentless in my getting through. But what about becoming alive? I am not sure I’ve thought about becoming alive…or how about more alive, if that is possible.

To be alive sounds so alluring maybe even a bit risky. I think to be alive takes courage. It means to stand in the fire, in the wind, in the rain and in the sun and to let each of them have their way with you. Scorched, windswept, soaked and dried out we come to know the richness of life and our connection to all that is sacred. To be alive is to let life experiences shape you, to feel joy and discomfort, peace and anger, ease and frustration. And to live in this flow with eyes and heart wide open. And that takes time.

As we continue to navigate and engage life with Coronavirus, I invite you to risk being alive right where you are…to welcome your feelings and to sit with your emotion. Being truly alive takes time. Let it be so.

And always lead with love
Paula