Hello,
Dr.
Nethi here.
The other day when I opened up the Insight Timer app.
The quote that popped up stopped me in my tracks.
That quote was,
Stillness reveals what hurry hides.
And when I first read it,
I thought to myself,
Wow.
What a short eye-opening quote.
That happen to be profound.
Because it felt personal.
It felt like someone had put words to an experience I just had.
That particular week,
I did all the things to prepare my daughter for her upcoming graduation.
And as parents,
Caretakers,
We know that milestones are coming.
We prepare for them.
We talk about them.
We even sometimes count down the days until graduation.
And the next chapters ahead.
But yet somehow when the moment arrived for me,
It still caught me by surprise.
And in the weeks leading up,
It was very busy.
There was food to prepare.
Decorations to hang,
Family to coordinate.
Pictures to take.
And really memories to make.
And my focus was on making sure everyone was happy,
Especially my daughter.
Her father cried during that graduation ceremony.
I didn't.
I was in the moment,
I was proud,
I was excited.
I was making sure I wasn't anxious because it was hot and there were so many people.
And so I used my tools that I've learned on this very app and also through therapy is to stop and breathe,
To stop and be present.
And I think I was so present and so focused on her future and all the possibilities.
Or at least I thought I was,
Because two days later.
.
.
She left for her college orientation.
My youngest went to Atlanta.
And the family members that attended,
They all went on to their regular lives.
And my husband asked me one simple question.
As I was sitting at my desk working.
Hey babe,
How are you feeling?
That was it,
Just one question.
And that moment of stillness and having to really deal with my emotions,
Suddenly they all flooded with me.
And I unknowingly had all of this tucked away because they all came rushing to the surface.
And I responded to my husband,
I miss my kids.
And I cried like a baby in his arms.
I appeared to be okay and it wasn't tears of despair or regret or even tears of sadness.
There were tears of realization that the balloon had finally popped.
The busyness was over.
The distractions were gone.
The celebration had ended.
And in that stillness,
I could finally hear my heart telling me all alone,
My baby is getting ready to leave me.
And I tell you this story because.
.
.
Sometimes we think we're okay.
Sometimes it's business as usual.
But whether it was a moment of stillness or someone else noticing,
Take that moment and feel the feels.
Because if not,
Many of us are walking around like shaking up Coca-Cola cans.
And as soon as someone opens,
Boom.
Or as soon as someone cuts us off in traffic.
Soon if someone has an attitude,
God forbid someone doesn't like something you say.
And we see it in our society all over because we're not letting things process.
And as well equipped as I am with resources.
I myself still was unaware of all the gifts of the hidden transitions going on around me and how they affected me.
Also selfishly.
So,
My challenge to you all.
Sit in stillness for whatever's happening in your life.
Whether you're looking in the mirror and realizing that we're constantly changing and we're aging.
Whether it's our family moving on in their journey and their transitioning.
So it could be parents with the graduations or someone moving out,
Someone moving to a different state,
Our parents aging or having to go into retirements and other things that come along with aging parents.
Whether we got bad news,
Whether we just outgrew our relationship or our job,
Sit in your stillness,
Do the meditation,
Do the work,
Continue to be equipped.
And once we're equipped,
It doesn't mean we stop working.
We still have to continue to work that muscle just like going to the gym.
Once you get to where you desire to be,
You don't stop.
That's where maintenance comes in.
So do the work.
Get to the place that you want to get to,
And then get on maintenance mode.
Sometimes we fall off the wagon and we got to get back on it.
But sit in stillness so you can see what's going on around you.
And unlike me,
You won't have to have someone else on the outside looking and realizing.
Houston,
We have a problem.
I also wrote about this on my article via LinkedIn,
Fuel for the Soul.
And I would love for you to read it to get more information on it.
Stillness reveals what Harry hides.
But if not,
I am just grateful for this time with you today.
I'm sending you love,
Light,
And good vibes.