Changing Focus

It was a cold and rainy night. No, I mean really, it is. I wasn’t expecting this turn in the weather. I had plans to walk around the city shopping and visiting a crafts fair today. I woke up this morning to drizzle and chill. My friend had an unexpected cost fall on her and wasn’t in the mood to get together, so suddenly I had no plans. I was not unpleased by this as I had been traveling and running around all week – work had been stressing me out and I was a little jet lagged. But I still had to get out of bed and deal with the day.

As I was walking my dog and muttering under my breath at the weather, I thought back to waking up to two unexpected pieces of information. The weather and the falling through of my plans. One made me happy and light and the other heavy and dreary. But both were just the same – unforeseen occurrences that I was not in control of. Had my week been light and had I been looking forward to plans with my friend, I would be sad to have them suddenly whisked away. It was my state of mind that was the difference. So, couldn’t I choose to see the weather the same way?

As often happens, my yoga instructor was on the same wave. He talked about looking outside this morning and feeling the chill. Then he thought back to yesterday morning and how he woke up then. He had seen footage of a soldier lying back in a chair, holding a thin, frail girl. This girl had been shot in the head, but survived. Her family was not so lucky. This soldier had pulled her out of the wreckage and taken her to a hospital but the only thing that would quiet her is to have this man hold her. So he did. He stayed more or less awake for four days with her. I felt tears in my eyes at this story of kindness and gratitude filled me.

That stayed with me all through class and after as I walked outside. The cold and rain made me feel alive and invigorated instead of small and miserable. My day has been lovely. I kept it low key and stayed indoors, something my body very much needed in any case. But I kept my window open all day, allowing the fresh air in. It’s colder than I usually like, but today it feels good. It’s a reminder.