"The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it." Thich Nhat Hanh

 Since my return from the states, I'm finding that my skills as a mindfullness practitioner have really been put to the test.  There's the usual "stuff" from school, of course.  My home has been like my sanctuary away from school, but has definitely been feeling less so over the past month.  I've been innundated by loud music so much more than usual--I've been having to spend a lot of time just wearing noise cancelling headphones to exist in my space.  I also have to wear them to bed to have any chance at sleeping.  This isn't unique to me; lots of volunteers have had to purchase noise cancelling headphones to sleep.  I also went more days in January without water than with it, which starts to take its toll.  I remain thankful for all my experience backpacking, but let's be honest--the overall level of "freshness" you want when camping isn't quite the same as what you want when you have to wear professional clothes and work with others.  I did finally get to answer a question I've had a for a while-- what is better:having running water that goes out or having to haul from a well but always having water?  The clear winner: the well.  

Everything that is going on at home also weighs on me.  The recent events involving USAID touch Peace Corps and me directly in the present.  The gutting of DEI directly impacts NSF-funded work that I'm still a part of at home.  Those are just some of the professional impacts; I feel those, but feel the personal impacts to myself and those I love even more deeply.  

So yeah, I find myself bordering in that space between "stressed" and "overwhelmed".  I'll be honest, I'm not someone who really finds herself stressed on a regular basis (thank you self-care practices).  But as of late, I find myself more consciously pulling out my mantra "be here now."  

Because there is so much that is amazing in the now.  Take this picture that I got a few days ago--the sun was rising over the Atlantic, but the moon and stars were still out. 

I just stood there and soaked that in.  AMAZING.  I watched with joy one afternoon as students came down to the library and played with a box--making it a car and pushing each other around, hiding it it and then bringing a "special delivery" to me.  That afternoon also made me think so fondly about one of my favorite books as a child, Christina Katerina and the Box.  I loved that book and remembering it made me so happy.  As I was making dal this weekend, I felt gratitude for the fresh ginger that Alexis and I found a few weeks ago (a rarity and a real treat).  

With that I come back to the opening quote: "The present moment is filled with joy and happiness.  If you are attentive, you will see it."  Let's all be attentive and not let the joy or happiness escape us.  💓💓💓