Embracing the Mundane

The last lines of my post yesterday were ‘there are so many other things that filled the in-between moments tossed away as mundane. ……even I feel the urge to say that I haven’t done enough or been busy enough.’ I’ve carried those thoughts with me this morning. Any morning, whether an outside work day or at home, is filled with those apparently mundane things. Things such as getting out of bed in the morning, brushing our teeth, general grooming for what the day has to bring. I know that many jump out of bed, throw their clothes on and rush out the door, grabbing a coffee on their way to work. Alternatively, it may be a dedicated and delightful pyjama day that does not require an acceptable visage for the world, with coffee at home. Regardless, all of these so called mundane things are really self care. Self care is something seldom on any schedule unless it is an appointment for a manicure or doctor’s appointment. Finding the meaning, the depth to the so-called mundane reminds me that without these activities, we would be a pretty messy society.

I attended a Naval Boot Camp many years ago for a friend who was graduating. The speaker, possibly a Four Star Admiral, gave the keynote address. His speech was the required length and I have forgotten the majority of it. He talked about one issue of daily importance to me: attention to detail. In the context of Naval Education, he was referring to a group knowledge of what these young men and young women would need in crisis situations. Trust in my own self care is paramount. This self care is not just so others can trust in my abilities, but so that I can trust my abilities to ride safely through each day. Because of the chronicity of the questionable gift of epilepsy, it is critical do so and in many respects it is. However embracing the mundane, whether morning, afternoon or evening, has the added value of comfort and calm. For those times when we are racing too fast, are overwhelmed or feel lost in all the stuff of life, we just may not have paid attention to our own details after opening our eyes in the morning. What do you think?

“Our grand business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, 

but to do what lies clearly at hand.”

~ Thomas Carlyle