Okay, who can find the time in a busy household to go inward and squeeze in some meditation? I marvel at the mama who has mastered this. I find myself getting bits of personal inward journey time here and there, but it is hard to do. It can be on a walk to the park, or sitting with my morning cup of black tea, or perhaps while I wait in the pick-up line at school. But the place I love to work with my hands and let my mind free is in the kitchen.
As I chop garlic, I shoo off the snack-seekers who are rummaging through the fridge. Then I pound the garlic in the salt, adding the other lovely aromatic herbs, thinking about the colors and the tastes. I stop to break up a dispute over the CD player, check to see what the little one is getting into, make sure the pile of clean laundry is left undisturbed... Then, ahhh, I am back in the kitchen, chopping the swiss chard. More distractions come and go, the phone rings, someone cries, things tumble and break, kids chase round the house, songs are sung, a violin sqeaks in the background, and on and on.
Back to the kitchen, back to the mess of bowls, pots, spoons, and peelings. On to the garbanzo beans, I get to gently rub the skins off in a bowl of warm water. Then I chop the tomatoes, and wish for a moment of quiet. Brown basmati rice is cooked, I smell the sweet earthy-ness. Time to finish my Moroccan Chickpeas and Chard. Goodbye to the messy kitchen and the quiet thoughts to myself. Time to eat, clean kitchen, switch laundry, bathe kids, dress kids, brush teeth, read to kids, get them to bed. And despite my wish to stay up and squeeze just a bit more time for myself, more likely than not, I will soon be sound asleep! Another day, another opportunity to be grateful for what that day brings. Nothing less, nothing more.
Renew thyself completely each day: do it again, and agin, and forever again.
CHINESE INSCRPITION CITED BY THOREAU IN Walden
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