Don’t blink! You’ll miss it! What is it that you will miss you ask? I’ll give you a hint. You can feel it but not always by touch.
The chill is in the air as the seasons change. Although winter has not yet begun the cold air surrounds us like a dense fog on a country highway, easy to see up close but hard to see through to the other side.
Our journey through life is much the same. With each sunrise and sunset we experience a multitude of emotions and events that our mind can only capture for so long. In an effort to hold on to as much as we can, we create memories. Our minds become our individual scrapbooks as we move from one day to the next, from one interaction with another person to the next.
How we impact others often defines how we perceive ourselves. Throughout the holiday season we look for ways to make a lasting impression and often do so by giving gifts to others. We search for that one gift that will be “just right,” that will make another person smile and bring joy to their world. We watch their face in anticipation of their reaction, hoping that they will appreciate the gift as much as we do. They smile and give thanks, perhaps reaching out for a hug. You return the sentiment and enjoy the moment of giving a gift.
Appreciate the Moment
But what your mind has not yet realized is that you have also received a gift that you cannot touch but can feel. Sometimes it will take hours before you realize that you didn’t experience the emotions that you had hoped to when the gift was given. You have yet to receive your gift.
Still wondering what the gift is? I will tell you and then I hope to shed light on ways to collect the gift in a more powerful way. The emotional exchange of a gift is, in itself, a gift. Once you allow your mind to settle from the busy events of the day, you can experience your gift. Allow yourself to feel the warmth on your skin, the excitement in your heart, and the joy that your brain communicates to you. You feel good! You have allowed another person to experience emotions in the gift that you gave them. And now, you feel the emotions too!
How can you obtain your gift quicker? You can do so by staying present. This can be quite a difficult and daunting task but one that is simple in nature. Be present and clear your mind of as many extraneous thoughts as you can before giving the gift. Be mindful of how you feel, what you hear, what you see, and of what you say. Record what you sense in your mental diary. And most of all, allow your mind to live in the moment. Put aside what you still have left to do. It will be there when you have given and received your gift.
Take the time to bask in the glory of happiness and appreciation. Life moves by quickly. It’s these moments that paint the picture on our canvas of life. Fill your canvas with as many colors as you can, paying attention to each stroke that finishes the picture as your journey on. Give a gift that is a gift within itself.
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Canopy Cove’s Eating Disorder Treatment Programs offer compassionate, comprehensive treatment for females, males, adolescents, and adults, who are struggling with Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorders and Co-Existing Diabetes, Depression, and Anxiety. Equine-Assisted Therapy is an weekly part of the Recovery process at Canopy Cove.