maybe you’re the breadwinner, maybe you’re the breadmaker. maybe you’re the rock star, maybe you’re the one strumming quietly in the corner at the party. you might be the one with a painting hanging in the gallery, or you might be the one fingerpainting with your grandchildren. maybe you own the store or maybe you’re the patron. and if you’re not the one growing the food, for sure you eat the food.
all of us on this planet walk through our days with roles to play, both big and small. and the bigness and the smallness is relative, unimportant even. we do what we do. we engage in some kind of meaningful work, whether paid or unpaid. we smile at strangers. we eat our meals. we recycle and hopefully reduce and reuse as well. we talk, laugh, play; and, some days, we cry.
all i ask is that you notice what it is you do. every now and then, check in versus checking out.
the habit of ignoring our present moments in favor of others yet to come leads directly to a pervasive lack of awareness of the web of life in which we are embedded. this includes a lack of awareness and understanding of our own mind and how it influences our perceptions and our actions. it severely limits our perspective on what it means to be a person and how we are connected to each other and the world around us. religion has traditionally been the domain of such fundamental inquiries within a spiritual framework, but mindfulness has little to do with religion, except in the most fundamental meaning of the word, as an attempt to appreciate the deep mystery of being alive and to acknowledge being vitally connected to all that exists.
~ jon kabat-zinn
sending a little love your way, m
Michelle GD 
I love how you always remind me to check in Michelle. I linked your e-course on my love list this week – sending a little love back to you xo
I love your words and your soul my dear friend. You always reach in and touch my core!
Yes, is the key! Love this and love what you are doing! ;)
love love love this
I really needed to hear/read this today.. Thank you so much for this beautiful piece.. It resonated deep within me. I feel less alone after reading that. Xo.
Thank you for this, Michelle! Its wonderful! I sometimes feel insignificant…and this is a reminder that each and every ONE of us is important. Keep up the great work-love this.
Vanessa
I so agree with you. Everyday is precious and there should be a moment in each day where you stop and note the gratitude list. Beautiful post!!
I’ve read this piece of writing 4 times and I have printed it to read several times again…in fact it made me feel that I’d like to read it daily as a beautiful reminder of how important it is to stop and reflect, consider and appreciate…. Thank you… Xxxxx
Sent from my iPhone
photography has definitely been my mode of slowing down and being present. of noticing the small moments and pleasures in life. not every day. some days are just a blur. but most days. i am printing off this post and putting it on my fridge it is so good! thank you, michelle! xo