A Well-Lived Day

Look for this day, for it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the realities and verities of existence.
The bliss of growth, the splendor of action, the glory of power.  And yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision.  But today--well lived--makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.  Look well, therefore, to this day.
       --Sanskrit proverb--

A well-lived today!!!  How many of us can honestly say that we live each day well?  I try my darndest, but, I'll admit it,  sometimes that's just not enough.  Things happen.  The unexpected.  And life has gotten faster and faster.  We do more and more--both a work and at leisure.  It's almost as if there is a competitiveness about who is going to be the busiest person.  Don't get me wrong.  There is nothing wrong with being busy.  It is a natural rhythm of life.  The problem comes when we increase our activities to a high level and try to maintain it long term at an unsustainable level.

That's when we fall out of balance with the natural world, out of balance with the natural rhythm of the earth.  When we live in cities, as I do, we spend much of our time in offices, and it is easy to get out of balance with the natural world. Especially here in New York.  We've got a reputation for being fast-paced, and live here long enough, and it rubs off on you...no matter where you were born, it is just far too easy to get caught up in the materialism and modern day society and need that we need to be busy to sustain this way of life.  

I know, myself, I consciously have to tell myself to slow down when I find myself speeding up.  Of course, that's gotten easier now that I've grown older and don't move as quickly as I once did. But, I can still catch myself walking down the street sometimes, my mind on something that happened at work or the things that I have to do when I get home, instead of paying attention to the beauty that surrounds me.  Work is something that I have to do.  We have to survive, but there are certain things I try to do on a daily basis to harmonize with the rhythm of the earth. I make it a point to get out in the fresh air every day...even if it is only for five minutes each day to breathe in the air and take in all the beauty around me.

And speaking of beauty.  This is one of those days that you really do not want to be inside.  It's cool and refreshing after a hot, humid weekend.  The storms predicted last night did not occur, but it grew so windy, it was almost like a fall night. 

Tornados are rare here, but we do get them once in awhile.  The last one was in 2008 not too far from where I live.  It pulled trees up from the roots, overturned cars, and pulled some roofs off, but fortunately, there were no deaths.


Hoping you all have a well-lived day.