There are two quotes I’d like to share with you today. And, one picture.
The first quote is by a man called M. Scott Peck. He was an American Psychiatrist best know for a wonderful book called, A Road Less Travelled. I have not actually read the book. I got to Dr. Peck by listening to him on a cassette tape. Yes, that was a while ago.
He said that …life is a struggle. Once you realize that it is a struggle, it ceases to be one.
The other man I’d like to quote is Peter McWilliams. He was an American writer an civil libertarian. He said, Life is not a struggle. It’s a wiggle.
There are some things you can do if you’d like your life to be more of a wiggle and less of a struggle. One of the easiest things to do is to find some time in nature on a walk or a run. Simply be observant. The below picture was taken at about 5:45 in the morning near the American River in the middle of Sacramento. The Sacramento Metro Area has nearly 2.5 million people in it.
The picture above was taken less than a quarter of a mile from a nice suburban area. See if you can find Mr. Coyote hunting for mice. Even if you can’t spot him, you will slow down and use your senses for a while. This is a wonderful thing.
Most of us are so busy running from problem to problem or running toward an opportunity that we miss some wonderful things right under our noses. Or right in front of our eyes.
Maybe, instead of worrying and rushing, you could find a way to set your alarm a little earlier tomorrow. Turn off the computer or the TV or the argument or the worry a little earlier the night before. Then get up when the day is young. Get up when the day is still a beautiful present with the wrapping still on. Take a walk in a wild, quiet place. Stroll and listen. Or stroll and look. Even better stroll and listen and look.
Who knows what you might find? You might not see Mr. (or Mrs. because I didn’t get close enough to tell) hunting for a snack. You might not hear a mocking bird paying tribute to 96 other birds. You might not smell the dew rising from the ground carrying the smells of earth and life and change.
You might just find a little peace.