On Just Being

I met with a former student for coffee the other day. Her husband just graduated from medical school and they’re in the process of moving to another state for his residency. We got to talking about how, especially as women, when we’re raising a family, supporting the people in our lives, and establishing our careers, we get so focused on goals and deadlines that we forget about just being. Call it mindfulness or being in the moment or whatever.

I shared a mind-blowing experience I had just the day before that made me acutely aware of the importance of just being. I was sitting in my ‘reading chair’ in my home office when I happened to glance out the window and notice the new green leaves of the trees against the cloudless blue sky. Instant peacefulness. A mini mind vacation. I felt the tension leave my shoulders.

What made the moment mind-blowing was the realization that even in retirement when I have all the time in the world, I still struggle with just being. I still have goals, big and small. I’m still too often in the mindset of having to meet the deadlines I set for myself. That needs to change.

I’m learning how to meditate. I’ve cleared a space so I can go back to practicing yoga like I did 40+ years ago before the needs of others took over. When I walk the dog, I’m going to focus less on heart rate and number of steps and more on the sights and sounds of nature around me.