ZEN Monday

It started out as one of those Mondays, I could just tell. I dropped my keys in front of the door, bent down to get them and hit my head on the door knob on the way up. I took the time to iron my shirt for work. I stood up after putting on my shoes and noticed my shirt was more wrinkled than it was before I ironed it. I went down the stairs without my phone, and then went back up the stairs. I ran back down the stairs without my sketchbook, and then ran back up the stairs to get it. I was half way down the stairs again before I realized I did not have my wallet.

I thought to myself. “Is this day really happening?” ‘Please don’t let this be the day I have to deal with for Monday”

Actually, by that time I may have said those things out loud. I felt really off by the time I left the house and I needed to talk to myself so I would not goof up anything else.

I had plans of being in early, but with all of that time being used for going up and down the stairs, along with ironing and re-ironing, I left at my usual time. I was so mad at myself for being such a scatter brain.

I have the privilege of driving past Lake Erie/Edge Water Park in the morning since I take the Shoreway. The view is nice every time, but today it was different. It was as if I was being rewarded by the same universe that had its fun with me. The look of the lake made me realize how cool life can be when you are in the right place at the right time. So I look to my left as I usually do and noticed it was a foggy morning. I could not see the horizon line. It was like there was no lake at all. I wanted to look harder but I was driving along side other cars. The way the morning was going, I really did not want to press my luck.

Just as I was about to turn away, I saw this single tree reflecting its meditative state on the water. For that moment, there were no cars near me, there was no sound. It was one of the most peaceful pictures I ever witnessed. It made me realize how funny my earlier stair exercise was. Look at how busy I was, running about in the morning, worrying about time and my attempt to manage so many little things in a few minutes.

A breath a fresh air later, I was past the tree. I was new at that moment. A little happier, a little wiser and a little less worried about how my day was going to go. The tree was the cause of all of my morning battles. The tree wanted me to see it in perfect stillness.

So a big thanks to that single tree that showed me that the best part of being natural is being part of a set of uncoordinated events.