How to Get a Life

I hope you all had a good week. I happen to have a stack of books on my nightstand; several of which I am in the process of reading (and a couple not so much :)). However there is one book in the pile that I do read often. It is entitled A Short Guide to a Happy Life, by Anna Quindlen. I believe the book is inspired by a college commencement speech she gave. In it she shares her philosophy on “getting a life”.

I had picked the book up again a couple of weeks ago and each time I do I discover new passages that touch me. I shared three such passages with my students last week. 

The first passage is here: 

“You are the only person alive who has sole custody of your life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life at a desk, or your life on the bus, or in a car, or at the computer. Not just the life of your mind but the life of your heart. Not just your bank account, but your soul.”

Sole custody of our lives; If I had written this quote I would have added “bodies” to the list of what constitutes our life. Our bodies, minds, spirits and hearts all together make us uniquely who we are and our yoga practice is a perfect way to cultivate the opportunity to “get a life.” 

I then shared this poem that she had put in the book: 

Exhaust the little moment. Soon it dies. 

And be it gash or gold it will not come

Again in this identical disguise —Gwendolyn Brooks

This is that visceral reminder that each moment is unique and precious and fleeting and never happening again. Being present in our practice on the mat is not just good for our bodies but helps us “get better” at being present in the rest of our lives. 

Lastly I shared this passage: 

“Life is made up of moments, small pieces of glittering mica in a long stretch of gray cement. It would be wonderful if they came to us un-summoned, but particularly in lives as busy as the ones most of us lead now, that won’t happen. We have to teach ourselves how to make room for them, to love them, and to live, really live.”

Teaching ourselves how to notice joy; this is exactly what mindfulness helps us to do. It can be such a challenge in our daily navigation of life; noticing the glittering specs of joy even when we are experiencing difficulty, pain or uncertainty. However, just as with anything else, when we practice it gets easier. We are the only ones that can do this for ourselves. We have soul custody over our lives. Whether on the mat or off we can choose to take it.