An Awakening

An Awakening

Camilla woke up one morning, as she did every morning, preparing to go to work. Or was it to join the Walking Group that met each Monday at Dallas Road? Hmmm. In the snug warmth of her bed, she mused about what day it was ~ maybe it was…………… A thought struck her ~ enough to make her sit straight in bed ~ not only what day was it but what week or month? And was it really 2014? Pushing her covers aside, she remembered all the times she had asked these very questions of patients and clients over the years. Sometimes quite impatiently so, because she was in a hurry and had work to get done. Now it was her turn to be impatient with herself. Grabbing her cozy housecoat and pushing her feet into her floppy eared bunny slippers, she decided that a good cup of tea and checking her calendar would be wise. She could depend on the big calendar, with inspirational sayings from Thich Nhat Hahn in her kitchen to restore sanity. Today, it was not the inspirational saying that she looked for, although ‘Smile, breathe and go slowly.’ was exactly what she needed to hear. That piece of wisdom was right there beneath the month ~ November, 2014. 'At least I got the year right' Camilla muttered to herself. November!!! Where did October go? How could I miss an entire month. And a month with thirty one days. With Thanksgiving and Hallowe’en celebrated with many, many smiles, food, candy, pumpkins. She had to steady herself with the awful thought that she might really be losing touch with reality.

As though she had someone watching her, she blushed at her agitation. Then she read all the things on October's page done, participated in, and enjoyed ~ an October life well lived. Smiling at her morning panic, Camilla’s mind began to clear of her fears. The only part of October that had been missed, was not the entire month, but Writer’s group on Oct. 3^rd when group members had been off and away, not back before that first Friday of the month had passed.

For Camille, it had seemed such a gaping hole that she felt as though a whole month had been missed. Added to that was the speed with which time had seemed to vanish as one day swallowed the next day like some kind of a hungry ghost. Camilla’s work with clients with dementia had been the final piece of her morning’s frightening puzzle. All of that swirling fear and impatience, left with her first sip of hot tea, replaced with vitality, calm and awareness of time, day and clarity of mind. Picking up her book, she settled into her deep, soft armchair to read.

“Smile, breathe and go slowly.”

~ Thich Nhat Hanh