Live in the moment?

I was listening to a podcast toady featuring Pema Chodron. She is a Buddhist monk and teacher and she is fantastic. The one thing I have taken away from her class was living in the moment. I think this is really connected to contentment in my life. If you are living in the moment and not worrying about the past which you cannot change and the future which has not yet come if you are content in the now then you will most likely continue to be content in the moments to come. I am not a Buddhist but I do feel that we all can learn from their teachings. I think that we need to expose ourselves to many different teachings and religions in order to appreciate what they all have to offer and much of what you learn can often be incoporated into your own spiritual practice.

Week 2 and 3

Well I have already failed my attempt to write weekly but I have re-evaluated and think that bi-weekly is good too. I have been thinking about my word and am beginning to feel its presence in my life as a steady stream in my unconscious. I am getting ready to go back to work in a few weeks and am starting to get anxious not about work but about sending my sweet little boy to the big bad world of daycare. He is such a gentle soul and I worry about him constantly. I am not at all worried about my daughter Robyn she is a totally different person and can definitely fend for herself even though he is almost three and she is only one. I saw a job advertised in the local paper that would be Monday to Friday and here in town instead of crazy shifts and an hour long commute. I have been weighing my options and my star word is heavy on my mind. Contentment in my job is something that I have been striving towards for a few years and I thought that I had found it in my current position, but, after having 2 children my priorities have changed and a job closer to home, even if it is not my ideal job may bring me more contentment in my life as a whole. I promised myself that I would go back to work for at least 6 months before deciding to make any changes just to get a really good idea of what working full time with 2 children will be like, but, this other job may be a great opportunity. I have a lot of thinking and praying to do about this. I wonder which path will bring me the most contentment? I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Star Word 2012 Contentment

Every year on New Years Sunday in church we receive our "star" word. This is the third year that we have done this and it is a really nice tradition. During the service a basket is passed around with paper stars with a word printed on a label in the centre and a magnet on the back so you can put it on your fridge, your file cabinet in your office or you can hang it wherever you think you will see it often and think about it. Your "star" word is meant for you to focus on, meditate on, pray on and generally guide you for the next year. Last year my word went on the fridge, I would occasionally look at it and then my 2 year old son Graeme got a hold of it and I never saw it again. Right now I can't even tell you what it was. This year I am going to spend a little more time on my word. So I thought I would start a blog and write weekly about it to help keep me focused for the next year. My word this year is "contentment". I am looking forward to this year it will be challenging as I am going back to work after being off on maternity leave since last February. This time I will have two children to manage as well as working full time an hour from home. "Contentment" is a great word for me because I always say "Happiness is a choice, every morning you wake up and choose to be happy". This will help me to live that everyday. I am going to try and do little things everyday to live contently. I am going to try harder to be content with what I have and meditate on how lucky I am to be where I am, who I am and surrounded by my wonderful family and friends. I should be content I am a lucky woman!