The Gifts of Pause

Tis the season to be jolly but the ho, ho, ho’s seems to be hiding. Today there is more holy cow than ho, ho, ho! To many of us, it feels as if we are waiting for the other shoe to drop and we are doing it while holding our breath. We haven’t had a lot of time to focus on what is good in our lives, what is sacred and fulfilling. So, what better time to pause and remember all the things that brings us joy.

The Holy Moments

For instance, those holy moments when something hits you just right with the perfect ah-ha and you get it, whatever it is. Or the holy moments when you are sitting with someone you love and the truth between you is electric. The holy moments when someone tells you how incredibly important to them and loved you are. Or those moments when you have wrestled with a problem, and suddenly step out of the box and have the answer.

How about that precious moment in the grocery store when some kid looks up at you when a grin the size of Milwaukee? What about the little successes when you didn’t forget your glasses or your pet insists on cuddling behind the bend in your knee, or rests her head there to watch TV with you?

Think about the times you have cracked up laughing with a friend or loved one in a movie or the food you ordered tastes as satisfying as the picture on the menu made it look. Or when you treated yourself to a dessert guilt free.

Think about when you wake up early and then remember you get to sleep in because it’s the weekend or when that outfit you love fits again.

What about the sheer joy of being a parent, grandparent or great grandparent! My munchkins start doing their dance the minute the music comes on and there is nothing sweeter than watching toddlers try to out dance each other.

If you are single how about having a singles holiday dinner with friends to celebrate your freedom and the fact that you all can keep shopping for the right partner and you’ve learned enough about yourself to have better boundaries and a well-trained “picker” this time.
I once wrote a poem…. “I sleep on my side of the bed as though there was still a your side. Will sleeping in the middle mean I am over you?”

Celebrate your singleness. Now, I love having the whole bed to myself.

Take a minute to be grateful for the people who get you. You know, the ones who never question your motives. The ones who understand the value of your character and spirit and celebrate that. And it could be time to celebrate your parents, even the ones who, were shall we say, screwed up. After all, they taught you everything you never want to do or be. That’s great gift.

There are also many gifts in aging. I understand more about life and the lessons we create for ourselves than ever. I am so glad to be past the challenges that brought me to my knees and so glad to be able to help my kids and grandkids create fewer of those for themselves. I am even glad to be near the last chapter of my life, because all these precious gifts and lessons are now the fabric of my soul. I embrace the sweet holy moments, the moments on my knees and the moments of enlightenment, kindness and new awareness’. We have so much for which to grateful. Take a moment this season to simply pause and be still — to reflect on the blessings in your life.

We who have the privilege of sharing our thoughts with you each month are incredibly grateful for you and Barbara for having this opportunity. You are the blessing in our lives, the people who help us fulfill our purpose and check our own integrity and level of vulnerability and honesty every month.
So, we all wish you every continued blessing. In the New Year, let’s all take a lesson from our canine friends. When they encounter poop in their lives, they simply kick some dirt over it and move on. Happy Holidays!

Dr. Evan specializes in relationships, personal and professional empowerment, compassion and consciousness. 602-997-1200, 602 571-8228, DrDinaEvan@cox.net and www.DrDinaEvan.com.