A short scene for a play (Inspired by a wonderful conversation with Stephanie Engel):

Nick: One question: What do you do when your heart randomly beats too fast? What do you do to calm yourself?
Beth: Breathe.
Nick: I am breathing.
Beth: Breathe deeply.
Nick: It feels like my heart is punching my chest. How do you expect me to breathe deeply?
Beth: Okay…Close your eyes. Imagine the air is fully supporting your limbs. First, it’s holding up just your fingers. Then, it slowly moves up to support your elbow, your arm, all the way up to your shoulder. Your muscles don’t have to do anything. You can let them rest, and the air will hold you up. (Pause) Listen to your heart beat. What’s its rhythm? Imagine it as a musical instrument. Is it a drum? A cello? A trumpet? How is it being played right now? If it’s a string instrument, are the strings being plucked one at a time? Imagine how it would sound if you used a bow instead. Let the bow smoothly glide across the strings, creating a gentle hum.
Nick: (Sighs, almost like a weak hum)
Beth: (Quietly giggles)
Nick: Sorry.
Beth: No. It’s good. (Pause) Better?
Nick: Yeah.

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The heart does not forget. It loves. It loses. It pangs. It skips. But it does not forget. Sometimes our mind wants to forget what our heart cannot. The mind may try to corrupt memories in attempts to prevent heart-ache. But the heart is strong. The heart wants to feel all it experiences and fights against the mind’s desire to protect it.
The heart will feel.
Let it.

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Something as simple as a name tag can remind you who you are.

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Our world is a place in which we periodically get lost. Some are so excited about finding something new that they get lost on purpose. Others are forced into “lost-dom”.
We may find a stranger and ask them for directions and think, “this one person will guide me back to where I was.” Maybe they will. But, you’ll just be back where you first became lost.
The beauty of our world is that we find ourselves again and again in the places we least expect. The winding road is densely populated with Douglas firs and we can’t see what’s ahead or even around the corner.
Know that you’re heading towards something. Know that, with each step, you are moving away from lost-dom. Know that at the end of the path, you will find you. And then you’ll get lost again. Find a way to love lost-dom. It’s where you grow into yourself.

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Humans do not break. Rather, they get lost. This is why trying to “fix” someone never works. They’re not broken. Stop trying to fix. Start trying to honestly guide lost ones back to themselves. They will find themselves when they are ready. And that’s okay.

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Today, you may feel restless. Time is either passing too quickly or too slowly. You can’t quite put your finger on it. Your heart beat is heard in the tapping of your foot.

Breathe.

Time is valuable, yes. But it can be spent on many things. Today, spend your time on yourself.

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Time is the most valuable currency in the world. Listening is the most generous way you can spend it.

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Leaders do not force others to fit their ideal. Leaders inspire others to be themselves.

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It does not matter who said what. It matters what was said.

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Plants twist, bend, and even break just to be in the light. I think humans and plants have more in common than we realize.

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It’s so hard to play when you’re playing on a minefield.

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Not all good things started off good.

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When you have right of way, go. If you try to let others go their way first, everything will become so much more convoluted.

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There’s an important difference between assuming and listening. It’s far easier to assume.

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You are as powerful as you honestly believe yourself to be. “Honestly” is the key word of that phrase. Many pretend they are stronger than they actually believe. Many lie to themselves and even to others, attempting to present themselves in the best light. Be honest with yourself. Hold yourself to those high expectations and acknowledge when you are not meeting them. What’s in your way? Don’t keep running into an invisible wall. Notice it, then find your way around it. Other times, we’re hyperaware of the obstacle. We might imagine it as an all-encompassing box that we can’t get out of. In reality, it’s still just a wall. Ask yourself why it’s there, find the answer, and find your way forward.

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Healing comes from within. Outside stimuli can help that healing. But, just as scabs help the inner skin rebuild, outside stimuli will only protect or pick the scab. Sometimes we pick scabs because we think the wound has fully healed only to find the scab starts to bleed again. Sometimes we pick scabs because we imagine it will help heal the wound to give it fresh air. Sometimes other people like to pick our scabs; weird. Healing comes from within. I used to think the scab was the wound healing. The scab is the band aid.

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Good morning, me.
I noticed you've been having trouble opening your eyes.
Your alarm went off and you snoozed it 7 times.
You rolled over twisted sheets and pressed your head to right your wrinkled pillow, which so caref'lly holds your weakened head, which holds your wreaking mind.

Good morning, me.
Perhaps you don't want me to observe you.
Perhaps you want me to just say "it all will be okay."
Perhaps you want me to ignore it altogether now.
Perhaps, instead, I should just say, "Good morning."
No. "Good morning. Let's have ourselves a day." 

Good morning, me.
It's overcast and beautiful. 

Good morning, me.
Today, today is doable. 

Good morning, me.
You've never been immovable.  

Good morning, me.

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It’s easy to think you’re helping someone when you’re really focused on your own pain. You may think, “what more can I do for them? Nothing I do seems to help.” Stop trying to fix. Start listening. Stop trying to control the outcome and give them the power to speak on their own terms unconditionally. Most of all, you need to understand and overcome your own pain before you can truly be there for someone else.

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A gentle reminder on this Independence Day that you are fully capable of being beautifully and powerfully you, that you decide how you react and overcome, and that the world is a better place because of your individual acts of kindness.
A reminder that "independent" does not mean alone. Nor does it mean isolated. We can strive to be co-independent while still offering strength in difficult times.
A reminder to love yourself even when it's hard to, to be honest with yourself even when when ignoring the truth is easier, and to accept the love that is given to you even when you feel you may not deserve it.
You are beautifully, powerfully, and ground-shakingly you. Happy Independence Day.

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