Monday, September 17, 2007

The Gift

- personal reflection
~ written for Writer's Island

Haven't we all been given a gift at one time or another in our lives that we accepted politely and casually tossed aside not immediately recognizing its value? Maybe when we were kids it was the clothes that were given to us. More interested in the bells and whistles of toys, we never saw the value in the clothes; but we wore them until they were thread bare, which was usually long after the trendy toy was gone.

For me The Gift that I am continually given is The Gift of the here and now. The Gift of the Moment, and man oh man do I flitter that gift away without even appreciating it or realizing it. An afternoon off from work? I fill it with errands to run and chores to tend to. A rainy Sunday morning...well something must need to be done. I often wonder what would happen if I took those moments that are"given" to me and enjoyed them, enveloped myself in the power of free time. What if I went to the park across from my office and laid on my back and played the game where you guess what shape, animal or figure the clouds make. What would happen to me?

Truth be told I have no idea what would happen. I guess I would feel relaxed and enjoy myself but I have created myself into a Human-doing too often, instead of a Human-being. I will admit I am a Type A, slightly neurotic, increasingly chaotic person. I try, really I do, to sit, to be, to reflect. I guess as my Nana used to say, I just have "ants in my pants" so cliche I know. I run until I drop and then I sleep harder than a rock. There is no in between for me. I am either "here" or waiting to get "there" thus never cherishing and enjoying The Gift, the many gifts that come from the here and now.

[Author's Note: Here I find a quandary I started writing about The Gift of "the here and now" and then at this point I see that perhaps The Real Gift, or a secondary gift for me would be "finding the in between" but that feels more like a "goal" than a gift so I will leave this as is for now....but I am interested in thoughts......]


(c)Michelle S. 2007.

All Rights Reserved ~

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* I consider this and most all of work here works in progress. I know there are several areas. All constructive feedback is welcome.

7 comments:

Jo said...

I love the idea in the postscript. Yes the imbetween really appeals. I am sitting here now looking at the entries on Writers Island and listening to Madame Butterfly and for once thoroughly enjoying this nothing which is actually everything! I enjoyed your piece.

paris parfait said...

I think you should try using that unexpected gift of time doing something fun. Maybe when the world doesn't collapse around you, you'll realise you deserve more time just for yourself. I blame our Puritan forefathers, for making us think we constantly have to be busy "doing," rather than "being." (I suffer from this too - give me a free afternoon and there are chores to do, errands to run, etc. - sound familiar?)

Tumblewords: said...

I so recognize what you write. Except the sleeping hard...hard to sleep, for me - still going in my mind. The best thing for me to stay in the here and now is to spend time with a child - a young one who hasn't learned much artifice. Lovely post!

Keith's Ramblings said...

Now that's made me think!

awareness said...

Hi there........

Are you left handed? Because when I got to the postscript question and the pondering, I had to laugh.....your thinking process on this piece (thinking while writing and finding yourself at a new destination) is SOOOOOO like how my brain works......and I blame that on my being left handed!

to answer you question......I think striving for the inbetween sound like a goal......a good goal, but a goal all the same.

In the moment stillness will find you. Just give it the opportunities to show up.......

I loved this piece.

Jo said...

Your post could have been coming from my mind, so familiar, striking; I thoroughly enjoyed it! Like others said: I recognized myself/my thinking process/my mind straight away. And apart from that, it was very well written and a joy to read! Thanks (also for your comment on my post)!

Lea said...

Great piece! Your musings here, and reflections are a gift, truly!