Have I wrote about this before? Or do I only think I did because I’ve been in this space so often? I feel like I have written about this previously, but regardless, I need to tell it to myself again, so I am writing again. Hopefully, someone reading also needs to hear it, and will choose to join me in this method of managing the perturbations in our lives.

Lately it’s been feeling like work, responsibilities, the never ending to-do list, combined with significant angst, has been conspiring to crush me. Some days it seems I don’t have the time or energy to breathe, be, pause, engage with beauty, art, nature, God, or others. It’s a strong feeling. It’s a tough feeling.

I think perhaps I need to remind myself that, while it is true — I have a lot that demands my time, my thoughts, my brain, my prayers, and many of the demands feel rather stressful — a big impediment to my own peace and time for joyful refreshing things is the way I am interacting with the angst, busy-ness, and feelings of overwhelm. Often I reinforce the vexations with the way I speak to myself and others. Sometimes I fill time that could refresh me, with things that are mindless but not very refreshing.

Undeniably, sometimes the mindless activities are needed, but I know, for me, there are often other more reparative and nourishing things I might do and think. I might take a breath — or many breaths — and sit with my discomfort. Perhaps, I will return to an idea of Thich Nhat Hanh. I will invite my discomfort for a cup of tea, or some time on my yoga mat with prayer. Then, we two will sit, sip, move, breathe, and be.

Amazingly, as I write, my breaths deepens. As my breath deepens I’m reminded that my discomfort and I don’t sip tea or do yoga alone. We are surrounded by a cloud of saints and angels. I like the peaceful party vibe they bring.