I find myself coming full circle to February 13, 2023. This, readers, was when I posted my first blog called “Time”. Here are a few snippets.

• Over the last few months, I have found myself having more time; this has been both by choice and by circumstances outside of my control. And the more time I have, the more I wonder: Is time a curse or a gift?

For the record, I am still asking myself this question in June. Reminder: I live a life of privilege.

• My challenge in this stage of my life is to figure out what to do with this time. Should I be productive? Should I rest? Should I start a new chapter in my life? Meet new people? Experience new things? Travel? Should I let my mind reel? Should I try to be still?

What jumps out about my question about stillness is how unconvincing I am. I mean, I added “try” to the question. Yoda would be disappointed.

“Do or do not. There is no try.”

Stillness is the quality of being quiet. I don’t think my mind has ever been quiet. Has yours? There are always things flying about in my head: what happens if, what about that, what if this happens, what if, what it, what if…

Is being present synonymous with stillness? Google says being present means you’re focused and engaged in the here and now, not distracted or mentally absent.Again, not sure I’ve ever been truly present anywhere in my life. I am always juggling options, planning, wondering, questioning.

This leads me to mindfulness. Some pillars of practicing mindfulness include:

• Non-judging. The world isn’t black and white.
• Patience. As the saying goes, patience is a virtue.
• Beginner’s Mind. It’s easy to lose yourself if you begin to believe that you have heard, seen, and experienced everything.
• Trust.
• Non-Striving. Focusing on seeing and accepting things as they are in the present moment.
• Acceptance. Remember this blog (Acceptance v Understanding)?
• Letting Go.

I have work to do, folks…