Wednesday, March 5, 2008

HAPPY NOTES


For those of you who may not know, I am an elite member of “Oprah’s Book Club” (It’s very exclusive) and we are currently reading “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle. I ordered my copy on Amazon, and was waiting for it to arrive in the mail, then learned that he had also written a book called “The Power of Now.” So I checked it out from my library and started reading it while I waited for my other book to get here. I really love it!

He talks a lot about getting past ego (which is our identification with our human bodies, and the world in which we currently live) It’s basically a reminder that we are immortal spirits and need to stay connected to who we really are. You are not your clothes, your house, your job, or any other external thing that you normally believe makes you who YOU are. You are so much more than that, and you have a great purpose on this earth. A purpose that involves more than just going around obtainting THINGS and working to earn the respect and praise of men. (Although, those things are not bad or wrong so long as they don’t fool you into thinking that they define you.) Your spirit is already whole and complete as it is. You have nothing to prove. No material possession in this world is going to add to or improve what you already are, because your value is totally beyond anything in the physical realm. It’s a trip!

Anyway, he talks about living in the present and said that a good way to detect when your past or future are preoccupying your thoughts or actions is to ask yourself


“Is there JOY, Ease and Lightness in what I am doing?”

And if the answer is no, re-adjust yourself and start enjoying whatever is going on in your life RIGHT NOW.
In my current situation (infertility central) it is so easy to get caught up in tests, medical procedures, “that time of the month,” and a powerful preoccupation with everything I DON’T HAVE. This book really helped me see that there is a beautiful life going on underneath all of the fertility mess and other distractions, and
I am missing it!
So I am going to:
*Enjoy and Cherish the Child I Already Have
*Stay up LATE and LAUGH for hours with my husband
(even if I have school early the next morning)
*and when I study for school, I’m not going to do it just “to get it over with” and "do well on my quizzes." I’m going to study to learn something and be grateful that I have so much knowledge at my fingertips.

I really liked that quote, so I typed it up and printed out cards and put them all over my house to remind me to live in the moment. Kortland asked me why I had those signs everywhere, and I told him that it was to help me to remember to be a nice, happy mommy (Don’t worry, I’m not normally a super-mean mommy or anything, I just meant that these cards would remind me to Slow Down --let the dishes and the homework wait- and read my child a book, or paint, or play Hungry Hungry Hippos with him.) So, a few days later, we were heading home from my in-laws, and I put Kort in the front seat of the car because he was wearing really muddy snow boots. He said he wanted to ride in the back, and I told him No, that we would be home in 10 seconds and I wanted him to just stay where he was. I closed the car door and walked over and got in on my side to find that he had climbed over both sets of seats to get into the back – leaving muddy tracks every step of the way...
I would LIKE to say that my inner zen took over and I totally handled it like a Buddha ...but I’m not that good yet! I got really mad and grounded him to his room and lectured him about “minding me!” and so on… So, yesterday we had a few friends over for dinner, and Kortland interrupted the conversation and insisted that everyone at the table quiet down. When he had everyone’s attention, he asked “Do you guys know what that sign is for?”

(Pointing to the “Is there Joy, Ease, and Lightness…” quote)

“It’s to help remind my mommy to be nice –
She REALLY needs one in the car though!”

We all totally lost it! It was hysterical! I thought that was a pretty spectacular observation on his part. So I'm going to keep "awakening" and hopefully someday I won't need
"happy notes"

1 comment:

Shannan said...

We love you guys and just wanted to say thanks a million for last nights delicious dinner and entertainment. I love seeing all the pictures of your little stud. You guys rock and thanks for being such a fun couple to get together with. Love ya!!