Four days out of my element brought me to the delicious state of Present Moment.
The ding alerts from my cell phone makes me twinge with the perspective of old. Worry, angst, trepidation, consternation slam in.
My concerns regarding drying the tent and avoiding other hikers so I can pee on the trail juxtapose into financial-lacking monsters and scheduling snaffus.
How does this happen in the blink of an eye?
The song of the Message Center catapults me into the Danger Zone of Life.
How to maintain the serenity of the desert and lethargy of the bison while in my aging body and busy mind?
I sit and peer at the pictures of the trip, as though reminiscing about days-gone-by versus just yesterday. I yearn for the scurry to the porta potty, the scrounge for snacks in the watery cooler, shuffling of a sleeping bag on the Thermarest’s slick surface. Ache for the bleary eyes at sunset, soaking in the rabbit tracks, coyote scat, unidentified birds skittering in the sky above.
Bring it in, slather the memories onto my crispy pink shins. Coat the comfort of large pinnacles in the distance, a valley of long horned rams perched on the butte in the foreground of my brain.
Help me be present.
Encourage me to notice the breeze hitting the youthful leaves.
Point out the sensation of calm.
Hold time in a capsule of Joy.
Push out the To Do’s I can’t do anything about.
Allow the negative to drift.
Be Happy, no matter what CIRCUMSTANCES arise.
For this day, the moment, this lifetime is what I have.