November 11-A, 2022

The plan is to be aware  
of what is happening
and what needs to be done in response.

Awareness is the key 
to all that follows.

Jon Kabat Zinn
and his Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
(MBSR) YouTube videos
are the best approach 
to a mindfulness practice
that I know of.

No plans,
no agendas,
no expectations,
no opinions.

All of those things interfere
with seeing/hearing/knowing/doing
in response to what is happening
in each situation as it arises.

Plans,
agendas,
expectations,
opinions,
are instrumental
in serving what we want
and getting our way.

And are no help in assessing
what is happening
and what needs to be done about it
in light of what is called for
by the situation at hand.

This is the difference 
between imposing our way
upon each situation,
and seeing what needs to happen
from the standpoint
of the situation as a whole.

Living to have our way
keeps us from being alive
for the good of the situation,
situation by situation,
and guarantees 
that we will be awash
in conflicts of interest
all our life long.

When our balance and harmony
depend upon us having our way,
balance and harmony
are out of the question,
and our life is chaotic
and storm-tossed
day by day.

Living to be what is needed
is a different life
from living to have our way.

It is the kind of difference
that makes a difference.
If you know what I mean.

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