Day 22 "Suspended in Thought"

"Suspended in Thought"

For the last few days, my "to do" lists have grown longer than usual. I often find myself popping over to Leo Babauta's Zenhabits for a few of his ideas on slowing the pace and going through each day mindfully.  With big snows predicted, I knew his words would offer me some ways to deal more effectively with my last minute "essential supplies" storm shopping extravaganza.

After racing through a crowded store with other last minute  shoppers, I stood in the queue and took a quick look in the cart of the woman behind me. This is actually a very dangerous thing to do because, in my experience, each time I've done this, I've noticed (to my joy and dismay) that something I've LEFT OFF MY LIST  is in that person's cart.  It's uncanny how often this has happened. I'm grateful for the visual reminder of something I really need, but also in the spot of deciding if I want to go back and get it. This poses 2 questions:

Do I go without it?

Do I pay and go back, grab the needed item, and then get into one of the queues that has now grown to about 9 or more people?

Tough call.  Sigh. I decided to let it go and after paying, returned to my car and just sat, removing myself from the chaos. I decided to be like one of the tropical fish I'd spotted last week in a store.

A fish circling the large aquarium it shared with a dozen other exotic beauties, slowly came to a stop and remained stationary, only the side fins moving gently back and forth. The little eye looked around, as if to sum up what it was seeing outside its glass encased world. "Humans, and all their frantic, chaotic rushing. So glad I'm a fish."

I stop myself each day when I feel I'm rushing or on the verge of getting overly busy...and I become that fish. I stand, breathing deeply and in about 10 breaths or fewer, I've touched back down in a calmer, more relaxed state.

Here's my quick way to chill out....
Be like a fish and just suspend for a few moments...see what happens.