Just Breathe

In this fast paced, gadget filled, modern day life it is really easy to forget the simple lessons in life.  The first lesson I learned while learning how to meditate was my most important lesson.  After starting an open meditation class, the instructor told me to “just breathe” and trust me, it was something she had to tell me more than once!  When I started meditating, my life was semi-controlled chaos with three very young girls at home (ages 1, 2 and 4) ... the lack of sleep, the crying, constantly having a child on my hip, someone always asking for something, and not being able to use the washroom without a mini audience in toe.  But being the strong, stubborn, modern woman that I am, I had everything under control, so I thought.  My stubborn ego was telling me “Yes life was stressful at home, but all babies are stressful.  Why does she keep telling me to breathe??  Does she not see that I am here meditating every week???”  What I didn’t realize was that as chaotic as life was, it didn’t have to be quite so hard.  I loved having my babies, but I was letting a very precious time in my life pass me by just trying to keep up with day to day life; just trying to keep afloat.  So each week she kept telling me “breathe, just breathe” and each week I kept telling them "I AM!".  Clearly she noticed that her simple words were not resonating with me, so one day she finely said “you never just take a moment at home during the day to sit down and breathe”.  Then it clicked.  My lightbulb went off.  My “ah-ha” moment (it really was an Oprah moment!).  Apparently my “modern day attitude” could not accept two simple words by themselves as having any real significance until, they were placed in a more complex and complete sentence (basically until she spelled it out for me).  The next day I made the effort and took her advice.  Once I sat down I realized the true power of those three simple breathes, those two simple words “just breathe”, and that one peaceful moment.  The weight of the world literally slid off my shoulders.  My life was forever changed.  The more time I took to breathe, even just a few moments at a time, the easier things seemed to get though nothing around me had actually changed.  The girls were still waking me up all night, colouring on the walls, feeding their dinner to the dog and dumping cheerios in the tub while I was having a shower.   But I found it less frustrating.  My husband was still my husband.  But I wanted to strangle him less.  I was suddenly able to laugh more and just enjoy the chaos of this particular stage of life.  Now when the kids coloured on the wall, instead of "seeing red", I saw a future VanGogh (that would be painted over whenever I found the time, probably six months from now).   I have always been able to appreciate the little things life had to offer, but now I am truly able to stop, smell the roses, soak in their beauty and project that outwardly ... something I am deeply grateful for.

Please feel free to post any questions or comments you may have :)