30 days later...

It's my last post about this 30 day journey which seemed to have dragged on a bit as I read the final pages of Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of NOW". I have thought long and hard about this post and how I wanted to it symbolize something that I hope inspires everyone around me but at the same time sheds some light into who I really am. And while I continue to debate I know I will always want to go back and add or change something, but the reality is I must embrace the NOW and just write what comes to me. So here it goes.

As I neared the end of this book there is a story that came about that I would love to share with you all, it goes as such:

Here is the story of Banzan. Before he became a great Zen master, he spent many years in the pursuit of enlightenment, but it eluded him. Then one day, as he was walking in the marketplace, he overheard a conversation between a butcher and his customer. "Give me the best piece of meat you have, " said the customer. And the butcher replied, "Every piece of meat I have is the best. There is no piece of meat here that is not the best." Upon hearing this, Banzan became enlightened.

I can see you are waiting for some explanation, so here it is. When you accept what is, every piece of meat - every moment- is the best. And that is enlightenment.

I read that story on my way into work and actually teared up. The reality is it reminded me a lot of the people I met in Uganda, especially all my kiddies. There was a never a day I saw any of those kids cry and whine about what they didn't have, to them life was bountiful and amazing and in some ways they had all been enlightened because to them every breath was worth celebrating.

Its a lot easier said then done, this I know and trust me as I pick up the pieces in my personal life and attempt to Accept the things I can not change for now, each day seems like a struggle. Yet every time I want to lay in bed and never leave or want to step away from my desk to escape to the solitude of a bathroom stall. I work with my mind to bring me back to the NOW, to take advantage of the amazing moments I should be living.

In reality life will always have obstacles to throw your way. Things will never be perfect and the obstacles you face will only make you stronger, wiser and more aware of the love that surrounds you.

The point is that at each of these road blocks you are to take those three magical options - Leave it, Accept it or Change it - chose 1 and move forward, into the NOW. The more time you spend allowing these road blocks to consume you the more chances you have at creating more issues and pushing the ones you love or support you away.

All you have to do is decide, how you want to spend the next moment of your life, Smiling or Crying?

Thanks for sharing the journey, back to random non-emotional thoughts, promise :)

-A