Suffering Is Not Enough

"Life is filled with suffering, but it is also filled with many wonders, like the blue sky, the sunshine, the eyes of a baby. To suffer is not enough. We must also be in touch with the wonders of life. They are within us and all around us, everywhere, any time."

--Thich Nhat Hanh

“Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, 
we enter the warrior's world.”
--  Pema Chödrön

                     

I awoke this morning well aware that the weather service is predicting 90+° temperatures for today.  When I first saw the prediction a couple of days ago, I found myself cringing.  Images of being very uncomfortable ran through my mind.

That happened again just now as I surfed to the National Weather Service local weather page.  I would even say that a sense of "dread" emerged as I stared at the details:  High temperatures.  High humidity.  Damn.  It's going to be a journey to the freakin' hell realms!

Argh!

Then, I remember.  I let go of the thoughts careening through my head, take a long, slow, conscious breath, relax my shoulders -- and turn to my attention to the very next moment:

Right now, a cool, gentle breeze is blowing through the bedroom window.  I can feel it's caress on the skin of my arms.  Rather than the fiery furnace of thought that my mind had created moments ago, I notice that I'm a bit chilled and that the warmth of this laptop feels quite grand on my thighs as I sit here with my back propped up against the pillows.  Outside the window leaves dance and birds sing.

Life actually feels quite wonderful at the moment.
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Be Here Now

Since my fingers are still on the keyboard and I seem to engaged in writing this post, I guess I have to make some sort of point here.  (Actually, I did think of just stopping and hitting send.  Although that would have had a certain Zen panache to it, it seemed like cheating.  LOL)

What emerges for me now as I bring this afternoon's weather prediction to mind is actually a great curiosity! If I imagine just being present then as I am now, things could be quite different.  Letting go of the world of complaints that can dominate my attention, taking a conscious breath, relaxing my body, opening to the next moment amidst the heat and humidity? In reality, I have no idea what it is going to actually feel like this afternoon. 

I am so grateful for the Teachers and Teachings that have pointed the way to this present moment.  In the very recent past, I found myself suffering, lost in my thoughts, complaining about the future based on my reactions to the past.  If I cut loose of those thoughts, all that remains are my fingers dancing on the keyboard, my breath, the coolness of the breeze against my skin,  the warmth of the computer whirring on my lap, the sound of the birds twittering --and a profound feeling of wonder floating in the vast spaciousness of Life as it is.

How cool is that?

Originally posted, May 30, 2013. Revised.