A full workday, I passed three cars in 12 miles, along the dark and rainy two-lane road, arriving home a little past 9:30 p.m. Thoughts rippled today: I promised I’d write. Where’s my gap? What’s disrupting when my day is occupied by single-minded, multi-tasking focus.
Have you heard the phrase, how you do anything is how you do everything? I’d thought throughout the day of the cranberries I’d finally picked late yesterday near dusk, in the woods on my property as it began to sprinkle, and the promise I’ve made not to harvest anything and allow it to go to waste, be it cranberries, or wild salmon. I knew the ruby tart fruit would be dry 24 hours later, and spread across a cookie sheet on the kitchen counter. I’d need to decide to do something with them tonight. Plus feed and walk the dogs in the rain, and write my thoughts about disturb the gap for today.
When I walked into my bedroom to change from the workday, I appreciated seeing my bed—partially because I’m sleepy—but I thought to 14 hours earlier when I pulled up sheets, fluffed pillows, and folded the duvet at the foot. I can be messy, but every day I make my bed before I leave home. I suddenly understood with deeper insight the value of pattern and routine in daily life. The concept of disrupt, counter-posed with routines, patterns, and habits took root. In the gap, I appreciate patterns which offer freedom and flexibility, a sense of order. Actions which practiced repetitively, provide ease and spaciousness, even delight. Could disrupt interrupt mindless actions, and simultaneously, identify and put new patterns into action?
What are three simple patterns you chose to put into place every day, happen regularly, and make your life flow with ease?
Three things I can count on no matter the distraction or how busy I am:
- Make my bed, every morning.
- Put my keys in the exact same place every time I enter my home.
- Smear peanut butter inside two Kongs—for the dogs—and put them in the freezer, every night.
This week I will have fun noticing patterns I’m consistent with as they appear, and other areas where my actions create a pattern I desire to disrupt. I’ll make a list and play with the ideas of where patterns and process generate trust, and where new patterns would be helpful.
We start simple, and expand, until a life-giving web or pattern creates itself, that is uniquely our own. As for those cranberries, I’ll go add them to the freezer now, near the peanut butter Kongs for the dogs who observe and anticipate everything.
What patterns matter to you? How could acknowledging and creating new patterns disrupt being fragmented or scattered?
- Day 4 of 21: Detox
- Day 3 of 21: Time
- Day 2 of 21: Blocked, or not?
- Twenty-one days: spacious clearing, in the gap #disrupt