Wisdom
Sunday mornings at Atlas Purveyors are greeted with a sweet calm that in turn make it my favorite mornings of the week. People move slower. Smiles are bigger and offered more earnestly.
This morning, as the sun rose over the foothills there was a gentle breeze that I felt against my face, and for a moment I remembered how lucky I really am. For all the heartache, all the family troubles, all the grief and pain that I have endured, I am here. In this moment, and isn’t that all we really have?
I came across this quote this morning by C.S. Lewis. “This moment contains all moments.” Reminding me again that everything I need, I have. All the courage in moments that I seek to find already lies within me. All the tenderness I need when listening to pain in others, I have the ability to hold the space for. All the patience and forgiveness I need to muster, I hold.
As the morning slowly rolled on, Patti, an older British woman that comes down daily for her morning mocha greeted me. We always exchange smiles, but due to her hard hearing we dont engage in conversation.
This morning though, prompted by my scooter, she stated “I had one when I was your age. Though I left it back home when we moved to the States.” She continued “ I loved it.” I could feel the freedom and joy it brought her in her voice. “When I went back to visit the following summer, I ran out to the garage, excited to give it a whirl and it wasn’t there. I ran inside and asked my mum where it was. She grabbed my hand she walked me into the kitchen. She pointed at the refrigerator, and said, “There is your scooter”
“She sold it after I had left.” We both laughed. I asked her if she had forgave her mom. “Couldn’t well do anything else could I? Can’t cut your own mother off over a scooter, now can you? Or a refrigerator.”
The tone of her voice was so genuine. I knew that in that moment she wasn’t mad at all at her mother. She accepted it, happy that her mom now had a fridge and not in the least bit angry. Its easy to get caught up on the little things, but to be reminded of what really matters at the end of the day, or the end of a life, is where true beauty lives. To meet each moment, and not expect any more than what that moment brings. To enjoy everything for its time, and when that time passes, when the chapter is over, start a new one.
So as I sit and wonder where my life is going, what my next move will be, I sink further into right now and realize that it will all be taken care of. All I have to do is show up. Let go. Most importantly, surrender to the moment in front of me.