Do the small things for others, support at times, spread humour, show I care.

Thankfully many. For example hiking in the mountains looking down on the expanse of rolling hills. Gazing at a starry sky. Sailing in a nice breeze with your body one with the tiller or wheel. Playing with a dog, dropping all barriers to do so. Watching a dancer’s incredible movement.

Every day. Every day is a letting go. Life changes me whether I want it to or not. With constant change I let go what needs to be released. The alternative is suffering.

For example I thought vaccines would bring an end to social distancing relatively quickly. Not quick enough for my mind. So I held the disappointment of bad news and that fed fear. Eventually I let it go through and out and found some peace.

I’ve been exploring taking different routes for a walk in the lockdown. I’d been doing the same routes. So I’m now taking different routes or even going in the opposite direction on one of my normal routes. Gives a different view.

I’ve been shedding slowly the perception that something is not up to the mark and needs fixing. The light shines as it shines whether it is sunny, cloudy or a solar eclipse

My dog. There are no masks that a dog doesn’t see through.

I could reach out to help others. Not something that flows naturally for me. I could do less of looking at news feeds, am doing less of that.

To my long dead mother. You did your best for me and loved in your own unique way. As I get older I ask what more could anyone do.?

Looking at this from an internal perspective; Are there weeds? Weeds suggests rejection. I like to see things that I reject nothing. I might not invite some of my more challenging guests of my mind to tea but I can allow them to be.

Focusing on the second part of the question, I have been exploring values a bit and how it links to action. So instead of having big goals, if I focus on values, the actions flow from that. I find, at the moment, that goals don’t really work for me, are a bit constricting and maybe a bit artificial. It feels more natural for me to just let action flow from values. Not always easy to put into practice and I frequently lose sight of them.

When I stop and notice (a) the present moment beauty or (b) other people not making it to another day.

Walking in the wild, breakfast, breathing, the feel of my hands in my dog’s fur, noticing a beautiful detail in the big picture of my vision, a moving line of music, the ticking of a clock, the early stages of a fire as it grows into the grate.

Yet none of this is simple really. When I see the complex beauty, there is wonder within the joy.

Lockdown has shown me that I like more human contact than I thought!

I spent a lifetime trying to change, pushing energy into being different. I’ve mostly got pretty comfortable with not changing now. And oddly that allows any change that wants to happen as what’s around me changes. But growth, Yeh. You stop growing, you die. I usually look inside for support and lean on my daily practices. When things get difficult I have the people close to me to lean on and they me. Am grateful for that.

Gentle movement exercises, breathing, meditation, walking in the hills, getting out on the sea, listening to music, being touched by healing hands, having the big bulk of my dog nuzzle in, a good sleep, a little nap, a good deed, a hearty breakfast

Basically an attitude that the bulk of people are doing their best and have all the baggage I have in their own way.

Yes I like that, Kendall.. We move in tiny steps and can look back over years and see big change but hardly notice it when it’s little things here and there. But if the direction is right it’s so powerful I think.

Interesting, Ed. I had quoted a bit of the lyric in a post a while back. I hadn’t thought of it in the reverse sense you have stated. Wonderful perspective.

Yes Mica. Fully and concisely is my view.

Oh yes.