March, for me, has been a good old mixed bag. I’ve concluded that there aren’t enough hours in the day or enough days in the week this month. Life at work has been wonderfully busy, life at home has been wonderfully busy. I’m grateful for ALL the busy. Not everyone is lucky enough to work, never mind have a job and career they truly adore. Not everyone has a family or home to love and care for either.
This morning, despite a good night’s sleep I woke feeling tired. I had heard that an old work colleague was retiring so had signed up to join her in her final Mindfulness Walk for a local Health and Wellbeing charity, Breathing Space. They’re a brilliant and genuine bunch of people, striving to help their local community- please check out the incredible work they do www.breathingspace.org.uk
As I walked the ten-minute route down to the meeting point, my brain was busy. I was thinking about the week that had been; reflecting on my work with my clients, wondering where I could have improved, remembering some funny conversations I’d had with my family and marvelling at how quick witted they all are, I was wondering what meals to make that day and the handful of days that followed, planning when I would fit in the grocery shop and I was feeling frustrated and a little guilty at all the housework I hadn’t managed to fit in that week.
Before I knew it, I had arrived at the meeting point?! I wondered for a moment HOW I had arrived at the meeting point and so quickly too?! I felt a little confused- which route I had taken- crikey, had I walked past anyone I know and been so busy in thought that I hadn’t acknowledged them? Had I remembered to stop and cross the roads safely or had I been on autopilot then too?! I was instantly snapped out of my internal panic with a huge and genuine smile from my old colleague. We embraced as old friends and had the speediest catch up as we waited for the other attendees to arrive.
The Mindfulness session started. We were asked to stand in a row and lean gently on the wall behind us, allowing it take some of our weight. We were invited to close our eyes and were guided in consciously taking some slow and deep breaths. I felt something inside me begin to melt already.
As the session continued, we slowly walked along a scenic, looped route. Walking steadily, we were encouraged to notice how the different textures of ground underfoot felt through our shoed feet and up through our legs. We were reminded of the breezy weather of the day as it flew through our fingers and hair but this time, instead of tidying my hair incessantly, I just allowed the breeze to play with me as it wanted and enjoyed the sensations and freedom this offered. We noticed how the leaves in the trees above us created a lace blanket where the sun cheekily shone through any gaps it could find. We noticed how the birds surrounded us; some sat on tree branches taking in the day, others busy in flight, most of which singing unique and beautiful tunes as they went about their business. We paused near a huge Ash tree and my colleague reminded us how at that size, this majestic beast was likely to be hundreds of years old by now- we wondered what stories it may have bore witness to long before our time on this earth and hoped it would witness many more long after we are gone too. It felt precious to have encountered it in this thoughtful way and to have been part of each other’s journey that day.
As we walked over a small, metal bridge a few of the group enjoyed tapping some tunes onto the metal with their feet. I enjoyed watching their imaginations at play and the sounds they made as they did. As we walked on, I was glad to see some water in the sometimes-empty stream and acknowledged how this must change with the seasons and the ever-changing weathers that the seasons bring. I felt exceptionally thankful when I was dazzled by the sun glistening on that water, sparkling like glitter as the stream moved.
Back at the point where our mindfulness walk had started, I was surprised to realise a whole hour had passed?! We were, again, invited to rest on something nearby, close our eyes and gently concentrate on some slow, deep breaths. This time however, I noticed how calm I felt. My mind was quiet and at peace. I sensed a swell of gratitude in my chest when it dawned on me that all those simple pleasures I had been so genuinely and deeply engrossed in during the past hour, had not been turned on with a switch ready to create a wonderful show just for our visit but that those simple experiences are there all the time, 24/7 ready to nurture our souls if we just let them.
I hadn’t realised just how much I needed that Mindfulness Walk. I had only signed up to show my old colleague my affection so it took me by complete surprise to find myself so deeply engrossed in the experience of the ‘here and now’ and it humbled me deeply to feel that huge sense of gratitude and peace that it gave rise to.
I feel that this may be the start of something special for me, both personally and professionally.