Today we ask you to focus on what is right in front of you.
Focus on what is here in front of you now.
Do not focus on what is going on over there.
Do not focus on the upsetting news stories.
Do not focus on all the problems in the world.
Do not focus on frightening things that might happen, that are not happening now.
Focus on what is right in front of you.
Arrive in the place where you are. The space that you currently occupy.
Just be here, for a few moments.
Notice what is around you.
Notice how your body feels.
Notice the sights and sounds around you.
If you are occupied by a task, absorb yourself fully in that task.
Do the dishes. Feed the cat. Pick up the child from school.
Be with the cat. Be with the child.
Just do that.
If you are someone who actively engages in political or social activism, and there is a task for you to do — then good, do that.
But do not sit there ignoring the tasks in front of you while brooding over all the problems and tragedies in the world.
Who helps the world more?
A frightened person who feels helpless, overwhelmed and victimized, full of complaints about the state of the world?
Or a person mindfully, peacefully doing the dishes?
Just do the dishes. Whatever your dishes are right now — do that.
Turn off the TV in the background. Turn off the phone. Don’t do one dish, check your phone, do another dish, check your phone. That’s hopeless.
If you arrive in your body, and discover that your body is exhausted, then the thing to do is rest.
The best thing to do right now might simply be to take a nap.
When your body is rested, you will more effectively attend to your tasks.
If a friend is suffering, you will more effectively help your friend if you are rested and grounded.
If your mind is scattered, if your energies are drained, if you can’t get it together just to do the dishes — then really you are not much help to anyone else.
Just attend to what is right in front of you.
Arrive where you are. Listen to the sounds. Look around. Feel your body.
Just do that.
If everyone did that, it would resolve almost all of the world’s problems. And whatever problems might then be left — there would be plenty of attention to deal with them.
wordfromthewell 