Saturday, July 18, 2009

you don't have that kind of time.

"i remind myself i'm not lazy," said eve. "i'm on a spiritual path""

eve has taken a little time off from work. she's going through a HORRIBLE divorce. her ex is threatening. her last boss propositioned her. her finances are low.

but she doesn't want to work for now. instead, she's sleeping, hiking, meditating, reading Deepak Chopra, searching for grace.

it's working for her.

her words stopped me cold. i got goose bumps. i too am on a spiritual path, embracing calm and peace, becoming kinder, more patient, working to be non-judgmental, questioning old long-held beliefs. searching for grace.

a lot of things that used to drive me crazy about myself seem way less important. so what if i always lose the bathroom key at work, as my sister-in-law enjoys pointing out. yup, i lose the bathroom key.

so what if i'm terrible at washing dishes, quake at the sight of a spreadsheet, always spill food on my clothes?

i've always beat the shit out of myself for every little mistake and quirk. but they kind of get lost on the path to spiritual peace.

i've been reading my favorite Anne Lamott lately. Just because i love it, here's my absolute favorite Anne Lamott;


"I got obsessed with something my best friend had said right before she died, when she was in a wheelchair, wearing a wig to cover her baldness, weighing almost no pounds, but very serene, very alive. We were at Macy's. I was modeling a short dress for her that I thought my boyfriend would like. But then I asked whether it made me look big in the hips, and Pammy said, as clear and kind as a woman can be, "Annie? You really don't have that kind of time." I just got it. I got it deep in my being. And all of a sudden, two years ago, it began ringing through the chambers of my head again: You don't have that kind of time."

6 comments:

  1. Beautiful post! I got deep chills reading that quote. Truer words have never been said.

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  2. That quote is wonderful.

    We are who we are! And you sound just great to me :)

    Poor Eve. I'm glad it's working for her though!

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  3. Oh wow. I definitely needed to read that.

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  4. i get chills reading that too. i try so hard to remember i don't have the kind of time to worry if my hips look big in a skirt. it's hard to make that seep in!

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  5. I wouldn't have thought it possible to admire you more, but now that I know you're a Lamott kinda gal, I'm even more impressed!

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