Monday, June 17, 2013

Altered by Life

In a recent drama we were watching, two of the main characters were discussing their past; and what made them choose their professions.  One of them spoke of a story of pain and betrayal.  They chose to hide in a profession of servitude.  The one listening said,
“life had altered you.” 
  I was touched by the clarity and the broad application of that observation, far beyond the tale.
  We spend a lot of time in our routines and rituals, and that’s fine, it’s part of the never ending quest for comfort.  Having some degree of certainty and reliability calms our fears about the unknown.  Oft as not, we can get a sense of fulfilled prediction when observing our pets; who by nature, are routine oriented creatures.  Even when they expect to eat at a particular time; or go out to do their business at a specific time, they are keen to adjust to the moment when events demand changes to that routine. It’s good to see a flexible disposition.

  Our little Bichon, Oscar, has this ability to stare at his mama with total-absorbed-adoration; something we here in this household refer to as being in the Oscar Zone.  What that translates to is his being in the present moment behavior with total commitment; it becomes irresistibly contagious. 
“I want that kind of focus”
  When Oscar is watching Montse, nothing distracts him from his total immersion into the glory of his wonder.  I like seeing that, as I also know such a state is a private experience; one I aspire to visit, and linger in.  The ideal becomes apparent to me where applying that attitude to all aspects of daily life invokes this natural salve of humor:
  Experts tell us laughing is good for our health.  It provides Endorphins to relieve stress; laughter takes lung capacity that opens up oxygen pathways to enrich the blood feeding our vital organs.  It dispels our worry and lifts our attitudes of well-being.  Short version: Oscar’s moments of adoration makes us laugh.  I’ll not go into the power of perception so much today as to say, that is the key that unlocks the door to our potential.  We’ve come to the point that when one of us is ranting about a complaint over a particular situation beyond our control the other softly suggest.
“Come with me to the Oscar zone”


And we have a good laugh.  Just one more benefit we get from inviting that little guy to share or living moments. 

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