Here and There

I hope you all had a nice weekend. Last weekend we were out with friends whose children are a a bit younger than ours. They were talking about the hectic sports schedule and the overall busy pace of life. However, they also just arrived at the point where the older child could babysit the younger one. At this stage, parents gain a little of their independence back (just a little) within the chaos of the daily family life. I remember that time so clearly in my life. It doesn’t feel that long ago and I found myself yearning for it. In the same moment, my friend mentions that she can’t imagine being an empty nester and how awesome it must be! 

Isn’t that always the way. It is easier in some ways to look forward (or back in my case) than to realize the gifts of the present. This conversation reminded me of the reading Here & There and it became my message for the week. 

Here and There, Mark Nepo

Here is always beneath There.

I remember sitting for a long time on the edge of a summer lake, watching the far shore. I could see the early light flood the water in the distance and this somehow made the other side seem exotic. Every morning I’d sit on my small edge of lake and watch the other side, imagining that a certain mystery awaited me. With each day its call grew larger. Finally, on the seventh day, I had to go there, and, up earlier than usual, I rowed across the lake, beached my small boat, and sat in the exact spot I had been watching. 
As I looked about, the aura of otherness I had seen from my daily perch was gone. I was somewhat undone, for through this far shore was beautiful and peaceful, the wet clump of shore I ran my hand through was the same as where I’d begun. 
I started to laugh at myself. For looking back at where I’d been sitting every day, I saw early light flood the water in the distance, and now where I’d been living seemed exotic. Now, a certain mystery called me back to where I was. 

So often we imagine that There is more full of gold than Here. It is the same with love and dreams and the work of our lives. We see the light everywhere but where we are are, and chase after what we think we lack, only to find, humbly, it was with us all along. 

On the mat we do this all the time. We compare our bodies and abilities both to others and to our past selves. We set goals for the future about what we want to accomplish. None of this in and of itself is a problem however often these thoughts pull us away from the opportunity to see the light and recognize the gold that exists right here and now. 

Off the mat we can find the same process happening in the mind. Our comparing mind can steal the joy of today. The practice is in the noticing these stories in the mind and re writing them to include the present moment as well. The reminder that nothing is permanent helps me to stay grounded in the present. Even when things are challenging my practice is looking for the gold right where I am. 

In the spirit of everything being temporary, right after I sent my newsletter last week I was told that unfortunately the silent disco fundraiser has been cancelled. Several factors came together and so just as it was there, now it is not!