I’m laying on a patchwork quilt beside a happy little stream where a family of ducks paddles by. Around me are the rolling meadows. Here, the soft grasses are tall, with sweet, little flowers. The early summer sun is gentle and low, yawning and stretching her arms, blanketing a part of the sky in a mellow orange. Which caresses and intertwines fingers with the light blue of the day, like lovers parting.
All of a sudden, there’s this loud noise, like King Kong zipping up in a full snowsuit. ZRRRRRRAAAACH. What the hell is that? I picture King Kong, and a miniature figurine of that exact same thing appears in my hand, like magic. The next time I see a duck, it pauses. I put the figurine on its back. The duck nods and paddles away upstream. I lay back down and look at the sky.
ZRRRRRAAAAACCCH. Again, the noise. ZEEEEERRRACH. Again, louder. The noise sounds like it could be harmful. Need to investigate.
I open my eyes, look at the ceiling, and roll on my side.
“MMPH” I huff. I throw back the blanket covering me. Then, the booster under my knees to protect my back. I look to my right, both dogs staring at me, wondering what’s going on. “You’re okay,” I reassure. I take off my headphones, and get up to figure out the origin of the King Kong zipper.
In five minutes, I have successfully removed three pieces of wicker that broke off my son’s laundry bin and lodged in between the main drum of the dryer and the back. That could have been really expensive.
Might as well start over.
Back to the Rolling Meadows
I restart my meditation, close my eyes, and make my way back to the blanket beside the stream.
Soon, I hear a coo cooing. I look over. Right next to me, is a little dove, with a funny little head exactly like my Italian Greyhound, Elvis.
Yes, Doggie Dove appears every time Stacey wakes up while I’m meditating with the dogs. Elvis whines because he can’t get to his mommy. Lucky for me, his real-life whines make for a cute Doggie Dove next to my stream. So I can keep meditating.
When Doggie Dove gets too loud, I pick him up, stroke him on the back, and place him on the back of a passing duck. Doggie Dove keeps coming back, however. And getting bigger and louder. Pretty soon, Doggie Dove is the size of a cow. I open my eyes.
“Well, Elvis, your pandemic separation anxiety wins again,” I say and roll my eyes as if I lost again. I get up quickly from the floor, my head fuzzy from the quiet of the meadow. I open the gate and let him upstairs.
I walk back to my spot and look at my dog, Olive. I glance at my paused meditation, my heart lightens. “Hey! I only had two minutes to go, that’s not so bad. I think I earned a gold medal for effort today.” She looks at me as if in agreement. Then, rolls on her back. As I pet her belly, I think, yep, we both earned the gold today.
POEM: A Kingly Gift
Listen Listen Listen is what your seat demands as you sit next to the stream waiting for the quiet, hoping for some peace. Patience Patience Patience is what your sit reveals as you work towards greater, better, holding your distractions, floating them away. Presence Presence Presence a Kingly Gift received as you live like the gentle stream, a bubbling drift of joy, nourishing all life.
The Soul-Journer Question
So. Meditation. Does the thought of stopping and listening to almost nothing make your skin crawl? Would you rather scour the grout clean in your bathroom? I hear ya. I use meditation for “consequences” for my kids. So they can pause and understand the root of things.
What good is it? I’ve been meditating almost every day for four and a half years. The meditation, no matter the length, sets a calm baseline for my day. Like a reset button. I’m far, far, from perfect. My mind goes helter-skelter most days. But that’s not the point. The point is to sit. The rewards, for you, will reveal themselves in time. Mine have been plentiful. Mindfulness. Patience. A calm heart. A non-responsive tongue. Daily Joy.
The QuestIon:
If you don’t already meditate, will you try it for two weeks? Some people love Headspace. I use the Calm app. If you respond to me, I can email you a 30 day trial for free. 🙂 Set aside ten minutes every day at a time where you can show up. And if you miss a day, no biggie. Show up the next day. Omit the “shoulds” over missing or wandering minds. Meditation is about the long game.
OR, if you already meditate, can you go to this story and comment about what benefits you receive from it? Thanks, with love 🙂
