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The last few days have gone by in a bit of a whirl.  I’ve been so busy, interleaving different activities in between each other.  This morning, the rain caused me to stop and reflect.

I was walking with Charlie on our usual walk, thinking about all the things I would like to accomplish today, this week, this month, this year, this decade….. the usual …..  when it began to pour with rain.  I wasn’t surprised because the sky had looked ominous and Charlie and I had had a discussion as to whether he would get wet enough to justify his waterproof coat, or whether he would overheat in it.  He decided to take a chance on the weather.  I had my waxed jacket on and a hat and wellies, so it would only be a few bits of me that would get wet if it rained.

Well, it did.  It absolutely chucked it down, like someone was throwing out the slops!  We got drenched!  We took the short walk, but we didn’t scurry along trying to hide from it as people do.  We carried on our normal walking pace, and I concentrated on relaxing my shoulders, and noticing where I was getting wet.  Normally you don’t think twice about the contact that our clothes have with our skin, but when you are getting soaked, you can become very aware of it!  My knees were getting cold and had definite contact with the very wet cotton of my trousers.  But that was all.  Bits of my face were wet, but I was warm so that wasn’t uncomfortable.  But my knees were. 

When we got home and Charlie had been towelled off and I changed my trousers, I decided to spend today doing one job only at a time.  Not trying to juggle things.  I stood and watched the washing up bowl fill with suds and took time to watch and admire the bubbles forming under the pounding water before sliding the plates and cups in the bowl.  And for once I didn’t overflow the bowl!  I had to keep reminding myself to keep my mind on appreciating the bubbles and enjoying the feel of the hot water whilst I was washing up, to relish the cleanness of the items I’d washed up, to feel good that it was a job that I had enjoyed whilst doing it. 

What a lovely feeling! 

In a way, this downturn in the world’s economy is also making us focus on different things.  With money tight, and job security wobbly, this could be the time to re-evaluate what really matters, to take stock and to begin to appreciate the small things in life that add up to far more riches than money and possessions.  Especially in the spring time when trees are budding, hopeful flowers are pushing up through the soil and blooming, and the lambs are appearing in the fields.  It’s observation time!  It’s a chance to look at things afresh.  It could be a hopeful time.  All it takes is a little attention to the minutiae of life burgeoning around us, happening right now.  Time and attention.  Mindfulness.