ruthless compassion (aroraborealis) wrote,
ruthless compassion
aroraborealis
  • Mood: content

On letting it go

Often, when I'm on a bus that connects to another bus -- which happens about twice a day on normal commute days -- if I know that the connection is going to be tight, I feel the clench of anxious "I'm going to be late! HURRY!" But, of course, the bus goes as fast as it goes and no amount of tooth-clenching, toe-tapping, heart-pinched sighing is going to magically clear traffic out of it's way or INTO the path of the other bus in order to make the connection work for me.

So, this is a daily opportunity -- which I often but not always take -- to breathe and let what will be be. For the purposes of my commute especially, there is always a next bus, and it usually comes within 20 minutes, and what is is, so I might as well enjoy the air and let it go.

This is relatively easy when I set out to do it, because it's so clear that my urgent desire to make the bus has nothing to do with whether I do or not. It's good practice for those times when it's tempting to think my desire DOES have something to do with it: when I want someone to do something for me, or when I rush to finish one last thing at the end of the day.

Rushing and urgency so rarely improve or change (importantly) a situation or my experience or the experience of those around us. Better to breathe and let what is be what it is.

So today I made the bus connection. Tomorrow is another day.
Tags: introspection, life, notes to self
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