Are there things you do to escape that feed your soul? Things big or small that fill you up? I don't mean things like watch tv or scroll social media which I think numb your soul, and increase your anxiety. But things that bring a smile to your face and make you feel warm and fuzzy. Things that allow you to forget your troubles and temporarily feel hopeful that the world is a lovely place. I have been very intentional in trying to find these moments every day. Yes, I still feel depressed or anxious or even angry sometimes, but I also have moments every day where I feel happy and filled up.
Yesterday I spent time with my friend. As we sat on the restaurant patio sharing pasta with the sun streaming onto our table, I couldn't help but pause to savour the moment. I actually find myself doing that a lot with this particular friend, both the eating and the savouring. We were sharing a steaming plate of four kinds of pasta. It was a random Monday afternoon and we had just finished a lengthy walk. We had nowhere to be for hours. Our time together is never rushed and that makes it precious, and rare. We linger as long as we'd like, whether it's over lunch, or coffee or out for a walk. There is something restful about slowing down and taking our time and I think it is partly this sense of taking pleasure in the moment that makes our times together so beautiful. It reminds me of the Latin saying festina lente, or make haste slowly. You can interpret that in many ways, but I take it to mean that even though you do have limited amounts of time, to enjoy those moments slowly.
After lunch, we bought coffee and walked down to the beach. The water was sparkling with sunlight. There were lazy boats in the water and some guy practicing hand gliding on the grass. It was quiet except the occasional chatter of people, and a few birds. It was wonderful. Watching/listening to the water always feeds my soul and is the best. But sitting on a bench with my closest friend and staring out at the water is better.
Just to be clear, we were still in the midst of a pandemic, restaurants were still closed to indoor dining, we still had to wear masks to order our coffee...there were lots of negatives. But that's not what I chose to focus on. Instead my soul was filled up with sunshine, walking, food, conversation, laughter, the beauty of spring, coffee, the beach and my friend. My cup runneth over.
