Who knows how exactly to do this in a world where so much of what we consume is designed to make us angry for engagement purposes and misinformed for control purposes. But for me, the clue to the puzzle at this point in my life was letting go of the control idea. I don’t believe I can control and order everything. Maybe Akasha can arrange it. But she is a fictional character and as I recall, her arranging didn’t exactly give off peace and love.
Anyway. Recognizing that serenity prayer difference between what I can change and what I can’t does indeed require wisdom. It also, for me, requires a recognition of my position as just another human on our planet. Being grounded is radical. Literally the words are connected at their etymological roots but also radical in the more colloquial sense that for me and my folk, the expectation is excelling, grinding, rising above, going high. And I think all that has its place too but I need deceleration, putting a stop to the machinations, staying in community and being still when something awful feels like it requires a “we go high” response.
So last night I was thinking about this and I decided to make a list of things that I can do to keep myself grounded. Listing is generally one of the many ways I can spin out so I had to give myself a limit. No more than 20…well I added a 21st but it was really good. I’m sharing them here as a sort of reminder to myself and a container for the impulse to open social media where, let’s face it, being grounded is not the currency. I have seven I want to try out and write about over the next seven days to see how they work. Can I do this for a week? Let’s find out.
1- Write a pantoum. It doesn’t have to be good.
2- Change sheets or towels or curtains somewhere. Linens are a source of so much that I’m carrying. Changing them out helps me to remember my humanity.
3- Make a meal in my kitchen using ingredients already in my house. This will remind me that I am incredibly fortunate and give me time to reflect on that.
4- Read something that is not for work for an hour.
5- Go swimming.
6- Play and listen to a vinyl album from start to finish without leaving the record player area.
7- Take a timed walk.
Free me of the bondage of self…