When was the last time you giggled?
Or had a wonderfully long, deep in-the-gut, tear-raising belly laugh?
Sound silly?
When did being in control at all times and never letting go become the constant focus of our lives?
Every day a new crisis is added to an already long list. Every day we worry what the next hours will bring. Lately it feels like the entire world has gone crazy and everywhere we turn there’s nothing but chaos.
The only way to survive, to break the never ending cycle that keeps us in fight or flight mode is taking time to relax and shut down, even if it’s just for a few precious moments. Hope requires a belief there’s light at the end of the tunnel, not more darkness. Through that invigorating energy we can finally see new possibilities and alternate pathways forward.
When did you last go to the park, sans child and swing free?
Or jump on the merry-go-round just to feel the breeze on your face and feel like you’re soaring?
Remember what it was like as a kid to twirl so fast you lost your balance and fell, giddy to the floor? Totally aware of your body and place in the universe.
Not letting worries about bills, work, kids, family strife, health issues, or stress seep in. Just staying in the moment, for that moment.
When did we lose sight of our inner child? That sweet, innocent voice that freed us from responsibilities and heartache, however briefly?
They’ll be back. But wouldn’t it be nice to let go, just a little, sometimes, and have a much needed respite?
Go to your nearest relative who’s burned out caring for their child and offer to take them for the day. Share an afternoon in the presence of sheer delight at the simplest things-
A flower that breaks up when blown on.
Gazing at the clouds and sharing what they look like.
Watching an ant hill to see the unity and balance required to keep it functioning.
Fish swimming in a pond.
Walking barefoot with the cool, wet grass tickling your toes.
The feel of lambs fur at the petting zoo or how their tongues are like sand paper when they lick food off your palm.
How the monkey antics delight and encourages your little ones participation as though in their own special play.
Dance to your own music.
Look at the world through their eyes.
See through the constant turmoil to what really matters.
How we connect to each other.
How we can’t always be in charge.
How life was meant to be enjoyed, in all its glory.
How to let go.
Especially now, with all the craziness surrounding our lives, take a minute to hold that little hand, look into those big eyes and laugh together.
When the world felt like it was crashing down, being a single mom, in private practice and dealing with chronic pain threatened to overwhelm, it was my daughter’s little hands on my cheek and direct gaze into my eyes that grounded me. She pulled me back from the abyss to the here and now. We all need a moment to decompress and recover. Without it we stay in a survival mode that’s only meant to overcome immediate danger, not deal with the long haul.
Stuck in that loop we no longer sleep, function, or think straight.
Think of it as an intervention for our souls.
Let loose and run barefoot.
Smell the magnificent scent after it rains and see the gorgeous rainbow left in its wake.
Sensory overload, news, work, anxiety over so many things threatens our hearts and minds every day.
So tomorrow, for just a little while, turn off all your devices and go outside. Take a deep breath and really smell the roses.
Doctor’s orders.