In the face of true loss, and in the face of true joy, the nonsensical takes a back seat to the wide expanse of possibilities.
by Mary Boutieller
It recently dawned on me what a luxury it is to complain…to be cranky or crabby about things or people who aren’t exactly up to my standards. We might grumble that the weather is too hot, a coworker always calls in sick, or developers are taking over the neighborhood…You get the idea. And trust me, there are many times when I’ve been all in for a juicy trash-talking session, going on about someone’s behavior, clothing choices or political stance. It’s like having enough money in the bank and complaining about the interest rate, or having enough food in the cupboard but not wanting anything that’s in there. In our abundance of riches (monetary and otherwise), we are comfortable enough to nitpick, forgetting about our own good luck.
Yet, somehow, today, it seems an extravagance to comment about some unimportant thing that irks me when there is so much unspeakable tragedy happening. I try to imagine what the family members who lost someone in the recent Texas floods are thinking right now, and I don’t think they’re dissing a neighbor who let their grass grow too long. Their hearts and their pain are so wide open with grief that the small inconveniences we occupy our minds with mean nothing to them. There is no space for anything insignificant.
In the face of true loss, and in the face of true joy, the nonsensical takes a back seat to the wide expanse of possibilities.
In his book, Tattoos on the Heart, Jesuit Priest Gregory Boyle writes, “The ancient Desert Fathers, when they were disconsolate and without hope, would repeat one word, over and over, as a kind of soothing mantra. And the word wasn’t “Jesus” or “God” or “Love.” The word was “Today.” It kept them where they needed to be.”
This moment is all we have, and we get to choose—over and over again—how we will live it. We get to choose love or apathy; wholeness or pettiness; kindness or divisiveness. We get to choose what takes precedence in our minds and hearts, and maybe we choose to let go of some of the nattering negativity that we allow to consume us.
I am, by no means, going to get this right, this time or the next time. As humans, we want to coalesce around a good story and be part of the group. Yet, with awareness comes the ability to choose a different outcome. I don’t want to wait for another tragedy to understand that we are all in this together and what I do and say affects me and everyone around me. Energy is contagious and, each time I catch myself jumping into the fray, maybe I can step back for a moment and ask myself how my behaviors are contributing to the world around me and then choose wisely.
Mary Boutieller is a Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance. She has been teaching yoga since 2005. Her work experience includes 22 years as a firefighter/paramedic and 10 years as a Licensed Massage Therapist. Mary’s knowledge and experience give her a well-rounded understanding of anatomy, alignment, health and movement in the body. She is passionate about the benefits of yoga and the ability to heal at all levels through awareness, compassion, and a willingness to explore. She can be reached at: SimplyogaOm@gmail.com.
