When I am the most troubled, or frightened. When emptiness begins to overwhelm me there are three things that will almost always bring me back.
First is exercise. Going for a run or a long walk with my dogs seems to calm and bring focus to my world. That I am with two four legged friends who completely get me with no more expectation than a rub down brings me peace.
Second is service. There are parts of my life that are very hard right now, and sometimes I am overwhelmed. So I have providing help and service to my community programmed into my schedule. To recognize that I am one of the fortunate ones. I am warm, dry, fed, and loved helps me get out of self and into self awareness and gratitude.
Finally is contact with other people. There are people in my life that I can call if I need to at any time of the day or night. More importantly there are people in my life who I can call when I don't need to, but just want to, and who will always pick up and let me know that I am cared for. There are forums here where I can read or write a wall of text. Vectors that enable both learning and teaching.
For me being connected and the act of connecting are the warp and weft of the fabric that I call myself. Even in cyberspace those connections have power. And when they move from the abstract world of pixels to the concrete world I live in I cannot help but rejoice.
Annnd, ice cream helps too.
Julie
