Death Trap Inside The Snow Globe!

 

I’m so thankful I practice mindfulness! Tahoe received about 3 foot of snow yesterday. and I went out late morning, prepared to move large quantities off my deck. I lifted the grate by my front door and began pushing the white stuff into the hole. After a few swipes, I rested by looking around at all the beauty, mesmerized by the snowflakes, and fully feeling the magic of being inside a snow globe. I pulled out my phone and began a little photo shoot. On one of the shots, I stepped back and literally felt space between my boot and where the deck should have been. Next thing I knew my torso exploded in pain as my arms flung straight out to keep me from falling all the way through the hole to the ground below! 

I didn’t scream, why I’m not sure, so my husband, although he heard the thud, didn’t realize I was in distress. I pulled myself up and out, crawled to the front door and was inside gasping like a crying fish, unable to take in air.  

We got me sat down, covered in a blanket, and I worked for the next several minutes to get my breathing cycle to a count of over 2 without pain. Once my body settled down, I began chastising myself—what a lame-brain move! Am I getting old or what!?! These thoughts were punctuated by the wisdom of my beloved who countered with, “You could have broken your back, your neck. Thank goodness you’re alive.” 

Safety...precious breath...warmth... absence of pain. These are things to be very grateful and aware. Although my first thought when I made impact was, “I ruptured an organ!” It appears as though I just bruised some ribs and fatigued the heck out of my upper body but beyond that, I’m very fortunate. Why, might you ask, are you glad you practice mindfulness? Um...you stepped into a hole that you created!

Firstly, staying with the breath to calm and soothe my pain was paramount. A dear mediation teacher once instructed that as long as we maintain the breath, we can find our way back to the body. Secondly, recognizing the insight of my beloved and the truth that he expressed has enabled me to be grateful beyond grateful for my strong body, arms to catch me when I fall, the support of my husband to turn around and go move massive snow without me and then, take care of my invalid self! 

There is another funny thing about the Death Trap Inside The Snow Globe that I’ve been playing around with. In Zen stories there are crazy events that lead to awakening—one falls off a cliff, gets struck by lightening....I indeed had such a moment! As I labored for air, trying to take a full breath, I just wanted the pain to go away, desperately. So desperately that I asked immediately for a Tylenol. Last time I took any kind of medicine for pain was when I broke my hand years ago. I don’t do pharmaceuticals, but in that moment, I did. The Death Trap event gave me empathy for those in Addiction Recovery where I work making the life choice to now face pain with the energy of mindfulness and gratitude rather than reaching for substances. Indeed, insight worth keeping. In the midst of a Death Trap there is a snow globe and in the midst of a snow globe, there is a death trap...OK, now I'm getting drunk on gratitude 🙏 Thank you, precious, precious breath!       

“Love Your Enemies,” MLK Jr Speech For Our Time

As I watched the events at the Capitol breech unfold, I honestly was not surprised. The division in our country is completely out of control and the events reflected these conditions. Perhaps it was the timing of Martin Luther King Jr’s remembrance in the weeks that followed, but a sermon came strongly to mind entitled, “Love Your Enemies.” As I listened to the speech, I felt MLK was speaking directly to our nation, directly to our government and to each citizen’s good heart. A few quotes stood out:  

Now first let us deal with this question, which is the practical question: How do you go about loving your enemies? I think the first thing is this: In order to love your enemies, you must begin by analyzing self. 

When there is hate within us that has not cared for, it will spill out onto everyone in its path, same goes for fear, and any other strong, unchecked emotion. MLK goes on to offer two more how-to’s and the next is perhaps my favorite:

A second thing that an individual must do in seeking to love his enemy is to discover the element of good in his enemy, and every time you begin to hate that person and think of hating that person, realize that there is some good there and look at those good points which will over-balance the bad points. 

I have been saddened by the criticizing, sneering and dehumanizing of the hurt people pouring their pain out onto the streets, into businesses and now into our nation’s capitol. Are we listening? Are we trying to understand their concerns? Or shutting them down due to intolerance? 

Another way that you love your enemy is this: When the opportunity presents itself for you to defeat your enemy, that is the time which you must not do it. 

Love does not mudd-sling, love does not kick when a person is down. MLK orates to perfection, building and infusing his words with moral integrity. In closing, he implores:

Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a descending spiral, ultimately ending in destruction for all and everybody. Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And you do that by love.

On this day, dedicated to a heroic and beautiful man, please enjoy Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words and allow them to penetrate into your being, into your response and fortitude. His is the greatest call ~ to love one’s enemy in this time of division as we prepare for inauguration and changing of the guard.