Breathing Calmly Through

Reading a variety of blogs yesterday (because the weather was filthy and not conducive to being outside AT ALL) it seems, sadly, that there are too many people who have experienced a rough start to the New Year. Various passing ons of people and pets, accidents big and small, weather-related catastrophes, arguments and over-all misery stemming from it being a dark and dismal January and not the best time of year to cope with even the little hiccups of day to day living let alone Fate throwing an enormous spanner in the wheel of general tickety-booness.

The trouble is, we set ourselves up to expect so much from this 'The New Year' concept. Whatever happened the previous year, life WILL be so much better at the single tickover of a clock hand. Of course, Time has no concept of our expectations and plods on regardless. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are all one and the same to Time - still sixty minutes making an hour and twenty four hours making a day. Day in, day out, just as it always has been since...well, ever. 

There is no magic fairy dust, no 'Make It Better' sorcery, no 'Anti-Aggravation' medicine to take to protect us from hurt or disappointment or frustrations. And so my meditation yesterday evening took the form of sending out general peace and calm waves, a sense of 'Just breathe through it, it'll be okay soon,' because I didn't really know what else to do. It made me feel a bit like when you're hanging upside down in the dentist chair, having a filling, and just concentrating on the next half hour, because it will only be half an hour...oh, look, just 29 minutes now...and now 28...and then it will be over and you will still be you and upright again and feeling a sense of relief, nay achievement that you didn't bite your dentist or pass out because you were holding your breath without realising it. Just breathe...

So today. Well, the sun is shining, so that helps. Clear blue skies and neighbours out mending the fences that suffered during the last week or so of storms. I have started a new knitting project. Got hold of some bargain Aran wool and am setting forth on creating a patchwork throw for the new armchair. The leftover Stilton in the fridge is just about to be transformed into broccoli and Stilton soup. Andy has got a job interview next Friday 10th so we are currently in training, practising something called 'Not Saying the Wrong Thing At the Interview.' I have a strong feeling that the course our life will take will depend a lot on the outcome of this interview. 

And that will do, for today. On the advice of a sage and wise friend, I have decided to manage one day at a time this year. Of course, I have longer 'plans' written down, because I can't help it, but they are loose plans, open and suggestible to change. 

Right, lunch, then an afternoon of knitting and maybe watching the DVD I got for Christmas and then a spot of reading. That'll do. 

I hope, wherever you are, you too are breathing calmly through your day. Xxx