Turning the pages of memories in my brain is a Saturday morning tradition this summer and fall as I walk the farmers markets. Headphone, playlist of Shawn McDonald and a vegetable basket in hand, I avoid the world turning introspectively. Most of my week is spent deep into our societies problems, illnesses and the work I think of as my calling. Diane and I have always worked really hard to protect our weekends to find time to be together. Some weekends we protected better than other weekends.
Honestly, some years we could harbor a just a few weekends together if we were lucky. Sometimes our precious weekends would get consumed by life’s problems, health, work, house and the life must have’s that distract us from truly being present in the moment.
In the beginning of this year my blog Make it a Habit, identified several commitments for the year. Refusing to give into the proverbial New Years Resolutions I decided to create new habits in my life. As I recall I insisted on not creating a list of things that I would not adhere to longer than the snow melted.
- I am using my right brain more than my left brain in 2015. We can get so caught up in the intensities of life that we can forget how to play, have fun, be creative. I am in the habit of writing, reading, watching movies, going to museums and festivals just because it is an awesome way to live my life.
- I am taking good care of my mind, body and spirit. I am in the habit of learning, going to the gym and church regularly. The time I spend in these activities will nurture and heal my soul restoring my being. This is my temenos.
- I am focusing on the relevance in my life. We can get so preoccupied with all the little stuff in life that we forget to focus on what really is important. In a few of my blog stories this year I have focused on relevance in living. The Moment, The Sunshine Club, Ap-pre-ci-ate, Zurheide, Ciao Mama! and Happy Birthday in Heaven each share a moment in my life that has significant relevance.
Today, Diane and I pressed into reflective conversation about life, Josh, work, God and each other as we remembered a time in our life when feed our relationship richly. That time life was like a fine dinning experience, including pairing of wine with every course of the dinner. The type of intimate romantic restaurant where you see couples in love propose marriage and plan their live together. Our experience was very different. There was no table linens, no silver, actually the coffee smelled burnt and the grease from the fryer stayed on your skin for a couple of days. It pretty much took me a 3 mile walk this afternoon to remember the name of the place Diane and I would sit for hours solving the worlds problems and our own.
It was an all night donut shop complete with bad free coffee and cheep coconut donut holes. On Oakland Avenue there was an orange ceramic tile brown trimmed building. Had to be very careful as you walked into the door so you didn’t slide on your butt because of the fry oil slick floor. Can’t really remember, but I am pretty sure we could get a 30 donuts holes for .99 cents. Anyone remember? I remember the coffee was dirt black and tasted like coal, but it certainly was a endless cup.
Mr. Donut was the place, no Starbucks or Dunkin barista insight.
I really am not sure why the deepness of the conversations were so rich. But I do know this, It was a simple time. We were young our whole life ahead of us that was full of dreams, promise and grace. Our life was absent of all the big screen TV’s, smart phones, the internet and personal computers. We had a stereo, case tapes and each other.
We were talking about a friend in search of the meaning of life. Questioning, reminiscing and thinking about our future. I did not know until recently that life really wasn’t missing anything. We have the same dreams, possibilities and grace we had then.
The answer is really pretty simple. The gift of being present in the moment pressed deeply into conversations. There was no money in our pockets yet actually we had no hunger because really we had everything we needed a donut, coffee and love.
Hey Diane…want to get a donut?
Yin to My Yang
TEMENOS CIRCLE 