ok...or the alarm clock...but definitely NOT by hitting the snooze button over and over. That's what I want.
Everyday this week I've woke up tired hitting the snooze button. I've rushed to work having breakfast in the car, had meetings during lunch, and sat through rush hours getting my "to do's" done in the evening, picking up dinner, and arriving home once again tired. While walking from a lunch meeting with a volunteer organization back into work, I read an email from my mom. She said Diane Rehm had Maya Angelou, one of the most famous poets in the world, as her guest today on the radio (http://mayaangelou.com/). During their radio discussion, Diane read my mom's post:
"One of my favorite quotes from Maya Angelou, 'There is a very fine line between loving life and being greedy for it.' In today's fast paced world many of us have become human doings instead of human beings, many Americans are consumed with consumption, many are adrenaline junkies, many hyper-focused on achievement and approval, yet many of us miss the simple yet profound experience of just being lovingly present with our fellow human beings on this great Earth."
So true...and although I know this is true...I know I'm 100% guilty of getting greedy for life and wrapped up into doing. But when you want peace, love, and happiness so much in this world that you feel like your going to burst...it can be difficult to not over-do!
This past winter and spring, I've experienced with different routines and new occupations. I've taken some risks and stepped out of my comfort zone. I helped coach high-school swimming all through the winter. After that, I moved on to the ten week Man Woman of the Year Campaign (MWOTY) for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Besides those extra responsibilities, I've stayed involved with other organizations, remained passionate and motivated while working with our countries heroes/Veterans, taken advanced open water and Nitrox classes, worked on several other OT related projects and presentations both in and out of work, and the list goes on. It's difficult because a lot of my doing involves "being lovingly present with our fellow human beings here on earth." I wouldn't change a thing and don't regret my new experiences over the last several months. They've further developed my understanding and appreciation of others and of myself. But I do think I'm close to crossing that fine line and need to jump back to just being. I need to jump out of rush hour traffic and lunch meetings, jump back on my bike, in my running shoes and in the open water. Whatever I'm doing, I want to do it, because I enjoy it and am grateful that I'm able to, not because I feel like I have to. Being makes doing so much more effective, enjoyable, and real.
I am healthy and I don't have cancer. Those who do have cancer, have to do things they don't want to do, and feel ways they don't want to feel. Fatigue, pain, nausea, anxiety and fear are just some of the several possibly side effects of cancer and cancer treatment. So, as I finish up week 9 of our 10 week MWOTY LLS campaign and catch myself complaining about being physically and emotionally exhausted, I realize this is temporary and participation is my choice. Those with cancer don't know if it's temporary and they definitely don't get to choose their symptoms and side effects. But they can choose how they deal with them and how they continue to live their life. By consciously and carefully choosing our daily activities and routines to reduce stress, we can have a better shot of staying physically and emotionally healthy. We can fight cancer as well as so many other physical and mental diseases.
Thanks mom, for continuously being lovingly present in my life and so many others. I hope to limit my doing and embrace our being. I hope to wake up refreshed and ready to go because of the sun more often than that snooze button.
Please consider donating to the LLS:
http://www.mwoy.org/pages/soh/cincy13/sspeicher
