Chapter 63: Twenty-Four Brand-New Hours
This morning, I woke up to my dog begging me for an early walk. I reluctantly got out of bed, frustrated with her for disturbing my sleep.
When we got outside for our brief 6:30am walk, however, the weather was absolutely magical. The crisp morning air of early August was a refreshing and welcome break from the July humidity.
Instead of going back to sleep when we returned home, I opened all of my windows and pulled my sliding patio door wide open to fill my home with the cool August air. Now, Ridley is laying on my feet as I drink heavenly coffee and find myself pulling on a cozy sweater.
A few months ago, I honestly didn’t know if I would live to see the fall. We still have more summer fun ahead of us, but the cool fall-like breeze of this perfect morning has filled me with pure joy and inspiration to write.
As I sit near my window, I can see colorful flowers of late-summer, feel the cool morning breeze of incoming fall, taste the toasted hazelnut flavor of my hot coffee, type this blog at normal speed (after a few months with a slightly slowed left hand post-surgery), and listen to Taylor Swift’s new album on repeat (I honestly wasn’t much of a fan before this, but her new album is incredibly artistic and beautiful). These little gifts on this lazy morning seem so beautiful, I honestly can’t explain it.
Yesterday, I read another book by Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step. This is a beautiful and easy read, but honestly, I think the best lesson is on the first page. In a chapter called “Twenty-Four brand-new hours,” Hanh says, “We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living.”
This was a really fantastic reminder for me. I don’t want to prepare to live today, I simply want to live.
Today, I encourage you to eat your breakfast because you enjoy it, not because you need it, recognizing that not everyone can enjoy a delicious breakfast like you can. I encourage you to walk outside, not to get somewhere, but to simply feel the breeze and step your feet on the precious Earth.
I hope you can take a shower, not just to clean yourself, but to feel the warm water fall around you and realize how lucky you are to have a warm shower to stand in. I want you to call your friends, your children, your siblings, your parents- not because you have a question to ask, but because you enjoy hearing their voices.
I hope that today, you go on a drive- not to get somewhere, but to enjoy the road. I hope you will take in a deep breath, right now. Breath in and out- not to accomplish anything other than to remind yourself that you can find beauty in something so perfectly simple.
These little things are living. Sometimes, I find it hard to remember this. Living is not just preparing for the next vacation, the next big life event, the next stressful work day. Living is happening right now, in this moment.
Enjoy this moment. Enjoy this day for those of us who don’t have as many days left to enjoy as we think we do…Unfortunately, this likely applies to all of us.
Fondly,
Courtney
© CB2020