Part of my internship rotation at the Community Mental Health Program at our regional hospital was to facilitate a "Mindfulness" group. Mindfulness is paying attention at the present moment. Living life with awareness. When I told friends that I was to facilitate this particular group...they laughed. The past couple of years in particular has been anything but mindful. Actually, it's been pretty mindless...there are periods of time, largely around Jordan's infancy that are blurr. I was in a fog. I was in survival mode. Even after the fog lifted, between my school work, internship, the kids' activities, keeping up on meals, bills, housework & trying to be the best mum and wife I could be, I was generally living in the future just trying to keep it altogether or in the past feeling guilty for what I couldn't pull off.
I've been given a final time extension to complete my doctorate. It's a gift. It's time that will allow me to slow down enough to breathe. To be more mindful.
When we were home in NB, we were able to spend lots of time with my parents in the country. The kids had fun running, playing in the garden, exploring in the woods, fishing...Jordan still needed lots of attention so he didn't run to the road, but he loved just being able to run. I'm thankful that Jon was with us. He could follow Jordan so I could spend time with my parents, helping clean up from meals, hanging out laundry, chatting... it also gave me the opportunity to walk around the homestead drinking in the fresh country air and taking pictures.
Photography has always been a love for me, but now with a good camera, I can (or at least attempt) to capture the photograph in my mind (does that make sense?) Photography has become an exercise of being mindful. I've noticed myself becoming more aware of my present surroundings, as if through the lens of my camera.
I've been given a final time extension to complete my doctorate. It's a gift. It's time that will allow me to slow down enough to breathe. To be more mindful.
When we were home in NB, we were able to spend lots of time with my parents in the country. The kids had fun running, playing in the garden, exploring in the woods, fishing...Jordan still needed lots of attention so he didn't run to the road, but he loved just being able to run. I'm thankful that Jon was with us. He could follow Jordan so I could spend time with my parents, helping clean up from meals, hanging out laundry, chatting... it also gave me the opportunity to walk around the homestead drinking in the fresh country air and taking pictures.
Photography has always been a love for me, but now with a good camera, I can (or at least attempt) to capture the photograph in my mind (does that make sense?) Photography has become an exercise of being mindful. I've noticed myself becoming more aware of my present surroundings, as if through the lens of my camera.
1 comment:
you go girl!!cheers for you!
(and a hug!)
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