Living In Time That Simply Is

Birthing & Beauty of Spring, Western N. Carolina

“Help me to be less fearful of the measure of time, and more fully alive in the time that simply is. Help me to live time, not just to simply use it; to breathe it in, and return it in acts of love and presence.“

Avis Crowe

Standing here on the hill in complete stillness, listening to the songbirds compose a spontaneous symphony in this one particular moment in time that is mine. Because I choose it to soothe my soul. To remind me that there is no other moment than now.

How often we say, “there is not enough time”. What does that mean to you?

I sometimes feel these days that I am not “keeping busy enough”. That there is something else I need to add into my day to make certain I am productive and not wasting time.

But how can we waste time when our constant refrain is “not enough time.?”

Until we die? For the people we care about? To keep the house clean? To say I love and cherish you?

As elders, or at any age, we realize that we are mortal. That someday, sooner or later, we shall shed our physical body and no longer be here in that form. And then what will the refrain be?

Why not decide to be more fully alive now in the time that simply is!

It is a choice you know. To fill it with every pressing or self created obligation or dive head first into the bottomless pool of moments…..one after another filled with beauty and the challenges and joys of life unfolding.

I could have allowed the Southern small town power mower noise – a signal that Spring was certainly here – to take my attention and waste the moments being annoyed.

But instead down in the canyon of the Nature Park that noise and all other man made disturbance filtered to the background.

Breathing fully in the unfolding moment I became lost – in the sun’s warmth, birdsong, new green leaves on the trees, gentle sound of a small creek flowing nearby, the texture of the wood bench I was sitting upon, how agile the squirrel was climbing up a nearby tree….

…and the butterfly – first of the season – in spiral flight diving down from time to time to sip water. inhabiting grace in nature’s exquisitely unique color and design.

In these moments it was as if everything not immediately in the small perimeter of where I sat faded away. The only “time” that existed was now and nothing else mattered. It was like those moments when you find yourself gazing into the face of a beloved. If I was to measure it in human time it was probably only 10 minutes or so, but it felt timeless.

A spaciousness of breath and presence in which I was embraced.

Living in time that simply is when….

• breathing releases and feels effortless
• sounds of nature move forward and take your attention
• stillness and peace pervades every part of your being
• colors are brighter and textures invite you to touch
• curiosity increases and invites connection
• presence is absolute as you deepen into relationship

There will come a time when we cannot fill our lungs with sweet Spring air.

Instead of being fearful of the measure of time I would rather walk into the woods and lay myself down on the earth feeling the heartbeat that mirrors my own, where I live simply with time and embrace now….

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Gaye Abbott, Natural Passages Consulting, 4/15/22. Please feel free to share this post!

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