Like this:

Today seemed like a good day to begin again.
And so I begin…

I’ve been playing with the thought of what it would be like to grow up.
REALLY grow up.

I am realizing that it is a great opportunity to be “all growed up”, to be mindful of the fact, that how I “show up” each and every moment – matters.

It matters that who I am being has impact on others.

It matters that every thought, feeling and action I cast out like a living pebble into the liquidity of life, lands in the world, creating a gentle peaceful ripple or a tsunami.

I make a powerful difference – one way or the other.
So time to grow up and be mindfully, responsible for my impact. Own it.

Here, is how it unfolded today…

Today, the downtown streets are vibrantly alive with Christmas shoppers. I’m crossing the street when I see a homeless, white haired old man laying on the cold cement, partially covering a steaming grate, a snow covered blanket across his legs. I keep walking just taking in his situation, just noticing him lying there, wondering to myself what his life is really like.

Two policemen approach and one bends down, getting into this man’s face. He berates the man, scolding him like a child – humiliating him in front of many silent onlookers.
I’m one of them.

It’s about a coffee cup in the gutter not far away. He pulls out his book and it appears he’s going to arrest or ticket him. I am struck by a wave of anger and want to yell/retaliate as this indignation.

I decide to shift my perspective and wonder for a moment about this young policeman – wondering why he would be so compelled to treat this poor soul like that and I begin to imagine. Someone did this to him, had hurt him. Compassion floods forth from this opening, washing over my own pain and anger – dissolved.

And I act. I make solid eye contact with the standing policeman, making sure he truly sees me, knows my intent. I then walk to the gutter and with purpose and great care, I pick up not one cup but all the dirty cups and walk them over to the nearby garbage can.

When I turn back, both policemen are now standing looking at me. I smile and softly say “Merry Christmas” then walk away. They got it, it was in their eyes.

What they did next, I do not know.
I can only trust my own ripple will spread far with love and kindness.

It feels wonderful to wisely act from this place of being grown up, of being mindful, that what I say and do matters. We all matter.

How do you make your difference? What’s that like?

Merry Christmas.

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