Half Past Five On Monday Afternoon...
'Do you find it a pressure?' My friend asked... We were having lunch, chatting, and the conversation had turned to my daily blog...
'To have to write every day I mean...' She continued... 'No, it's not a pressure' I replied, 'It is a commitment though... First and foremost a commitment to myself...'
Ultimately this is the core of all commitment, because when we commit to ourselves, we will be more able to make other commitments from a clear place...
When I set off, on 'day one' to write my blog, I knew that my lifestyle would (on the whole) support me spending some time each day on it...
So I turn up each day at the blank screen. I bring myself, and I am aware that it is more than an empty screen, it is a space between me and you, my reader... What I put into this space is my energy and it is my responsibility to make what I put there of positive value to you, enjoyable and engaging...!
In essence, this is a relationship between you and me...
All our relationships exist in the 'space between' and what we put in the space affects the quality of the relating... We must be conscious therefore, of what we are bringing to any interaction.
This is why the first commitment is to ourselves. It is to looking after ourselves, and to becoming self aware, so that we are able to take full responsibility for what we do and say in any relating, whether that be in written form or spoken, or even via our energy and our thoughts...
It is always our own lessons, our own responses and reactions that we must focus on, as this is where we can learn to know ourselves better and truly understand that however difficult it feels on occasions, we are responsible for how we see things.
The clearer we are, the less we will project anything onto what is in front of us...
I am now sitting on the terrace of our little house on the edge of the mountain... The air is still and hot and full of the sounds of insects and birdsong, an occasional car going through the village on the winding road below me, a buzzing fly, and I am grateful of the occasional breeze.
The church bell chimes one dong... It is half past five on Monday afternoon...
This morning we went for a short 'recovery' type run, although every single outing begins with 25 minutes uphill...!
We made a loop up the mountainside and then straight down along a sandy track that soon changed to road and led us back through Capileira the village above Bubion - where we are living - and home again...
As we ran into Capileira it was already alive with Monday morning activity. Restaurants and shops were opening; groups of walkers and cyclists were gathering for a day in the mountains...
We resolved to start to reccy all the lovely looking eateries beckoning us to sit at their tables and chairs outside in the sun.
I have three clients arriving while I am here, to spend some time on their own self discovery and self reflection... The mountain air lends itself to this, just being here inspires and encourages our inner journey.
We passed by the hotel I have booked for their stays here and I felt happy and confident that they will have a lovely 'retreat'!
'To be honest' I said to Anadi...
'Even if they just came and relaxed in the hotel, experienced being in these mountains with time to be still, it would have a positive effect, without any input from me at all!'