"Watch Where You're Being"

My four-year-old is creative, inquisitive, independent, and social. He loves to engage in painting, puzzles, or putting together legos. He also has a wild streak and will run laps around the house, giggling and whooshing by us calling out "watch where you're being!"

I'm certain he simply meant that I was in the way but there's a deeper message here about our presence, where we linger, and our awareness of those things. 

For me, this year is about really being in the moment, living my values, and minimizing life clutter - toxic relationships, unhealthy choices, and physical "stuff" that takes up space in my life. In the months that I've been working on this I've spent more face-to-face time and voice time in relationships that are really valuable to me. I've spent more time reading and growing my range of knowledge. I've also become increasingly aware of my presence (though I'm certain at times, not quite aware enough). And by paying attention to this, I've come to realize that there are some changes I need to make. Both in where I'm being but also how I'm being. There are places in my life I need to spend less time (as a consumer, reliving events of the past, blaming, judging, to name a few!) and there are places in my life where I need to spend more time (with people I love, on self care, on generosity and compassion). But most importantly I need to focus on my affect, my responses to other people, taking into consideration what people need from me - and whether or not I'm truly able to give it. 

Beyond that, there are places and moments in my life in which I linger too long, beyond what is useful to others and maybe beyond what is healthy for me. My inability to avoid developing attachment to people, situations, and feelings as if they could be unchanging has caused a fair amount of grief for me and the result is physical and emotionally lingering - taking away from my awareness of my presence and truly being in the moment. 

The sound advice of my sweet son, delivered in a blur of four-year-old energy, is a much needed reminder to pay closer attention to my presence. In addition to this gleeful warning from my son, I'm grateful for all the people in my life that periodically, lovingly offer gentle guidance when I need it: watch where you're being!