Feeling overwhelmed by everything on your “to do” list? Welcome to the holidays. Hustle-bustle is the name of the game this time of year. Buying, wrapping, baking, eating… It’s just… well… what we do. Finally comes the moment when every bow is tied and every holiday treat is quietly sitting in neat little rows in its Tupperware container ready to be devoured. Time to exhale. Time for whatever’s next. So… what’s next?
That’s easy. What’s next is Now.
It seems like a radical concept, I know. What’s next is bringing our attention to the bright shiny holiday moment we are living in – the one that’s right in front of us – the beautiful present. And there’s something simple we can do to lock and load us into that present moment: Listen.
Yup. Just listen. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds outside your window… the geese honking as they fly in formation above you in the sky, your neighbour’s dog barking, the wind whipping through the bare branches of the trees. Listen for the sounds that connect you with the Earth. Those sounds are the heartbeat of the planet that our feet walk on each day; they speak to our souls. When we take the time to slow down, be still and notice them, we just plain feel good. And isn’t that why we’re here? To feel good?
So try listening. No ribbons. No packages. No boxes. No bags. Just the most beautiful holiday present you could ever give yourself: The present.
Now pass me a shortbread cookie, would you?
Happy holidays, everyone.