Broken Glass

This morning, Deb and the kids were heading to the beach, in the mini-van. In backing up, the fence was struck and needless to say, the end result was broken glass. My initial reaction was being upset and blurting out, "Mindfulness!"

After my usual lecturing and points on mindfulness, I encoouraged them to take my car and go to the beach. I told them I'd be okay with it and I had stuff to do around the house "anyway." That so-called "anyway" found me reading and watching tv-shows that I saved on my DVR. After a while, the word "Samu," (work practice) appeared in my head. The thought of the kids possibly getting hurt was unbearable. I got my shoes on and headed outside with a trash bag.

As I surveyed the area, I thought, "How am I going to get this cleaned up?" The glass was broken into literally hundreds of little pieces, mixed in grass, moss and weeds. I went and got a thick yoga mat, folded it and started picking up lass and putting it in the bag, by hand.

As I began, the thought "be grateful for everything" resonated within me, though I didn't feel like that, when I started out. Mindfully and lightly as possible, I picked up the glass on the ground, pulled weeds and just inhaled and exhaled.

After about an hour, wiping sweat from my forehead, I wasn't upset about "why," or "how" it happened anymore. I was glad that they still had the opportunity to go to the beach and happy that I was experiencing the chance to drop a storyline. I could be with and transform the moment from "oh crap, how much is that going to cost to fix," to "Do your best, to leave no trace of glass, We don't want the kids hurt."

With each breath that we draw, there's a choice for us. Do we tap into stability of mind, or the raging tides of emotional storms? Which is more useful? Which is more helpful, not just the immediate, but the long run? We know what the truth is. We read and hear about it all the time. The key is living that truth, so that we ourselves do not end merely as broken glass.

In Gassho,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
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