I am seeking…

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Do not try to save
the whole world
or do anything grandiose.
Instead, create
a clearing
in the dense forest
of your life
and wait there
patiently,
until the song
that is your life
falls into your own cupped hands
and you recognize and greet it.
Only then will you know
how to give yourself to this world
so worthy of rescue.

by Martha Postlethwaite

I was really moved by this poem read by my yoga instructor JoJo during savasana this past Saturday. What resonated with me was the encouragement to intentionally create space and time in your life to allow your purpose in the world to reveal itself. How am I giving myself to this world? Great question. The poem also reassured me that we don’t have to do big things to make a difference. Our contributions can be invisible to others, even to ourselves.

I am beginning to understand that the question ‘how can I give myself to this world’ is fundamentally reliant on my ability to answer the question, ‘What am I seeking’? Somebody said (and if you know who please tell me), “If you don’t know what you want, it’s no surprise you’re not getting it.” I love the slightly facetious tone in this statement. It’s so ‘duh’.

I feel like I am getting more clarity about what I am seeking in my life as I approach 50. The greater clarity fuels me with the courage I need to take active steps to make it happen. I know much more about what I don’t want for my life than when I was approaching 40. It’s this part of aging that I am truly relishing. I know I don’t want a lot of stuff, I don’t want to manage sustained stress, I don’t want to work more than 30 hours a week, I don’t want a lot of responsibility over others, I don’t want a huge circle of friends, I don’t want how I spend my time to be dictated by others, etc, etc. In a previous blog, I talked about decluttering - how we accumulate experiences during the first half of our lives and then start shedding what is no longer serving us in the second half. That’s been both my experience and my intent. As I declutter, I see myself more clearly. I feel more comfortable in my skin and accept my sharp edges and challenging traits with more grace. Only then will I know how to give myself to this world. Those of you who have worked with me in a coaching capacity, and perhaps even some of my friends will know that I love the phrase “best use of me”. In order to know the best use of ourselves, we have to know ourselves, what we seek, need, and value.

This month’s Ramble leaves you with a challenge - Finish the statement, “I am seeking…”  in 10 (additional) words or less, WITHOUT using the word ‘and’. Try it It’s such a simple question, yet many of us spend a lifetime trying to answer it. If this challenge proves difficult for you, perhaps follow the poet’s advice and create a clearing for yourself in the dense forest of your life and wait there patiently…

I am seeking a simpler life.

You?