365 Days! I did it!

On December 29, 2016, I challenged myself to meditate at least once a day for 365 consecutive days.

 

The challenge came from the APP on my phone called Insight Timer, which I had downloaded onto my phone in October 2013. Since that day I have meditated 689 days.

In 2016, the 365 day challenge was put into place and I accepted the challenge. I have the option of using a timer, a guided meditation, ambiance music or simple sounds of nature, among many other options. I have meditated in airports, while camping with my Girl Scout troop, on my back porch, by my fireplace in my living room, in the car traveling, at parks, and walking along greenbelts. I wake early so not to disturb my daily routine and use my earbuds to focus on the messages or music. My back porch is by far my favorite place as I feel a connection to all that is nestled among my herbs, candles, artifacts, and the sounds (and sometimes smell) of nature surrounding me.

The view from my back porch.

One of my guided meditations ends by guaranteeing that if I do this or some other form of meditation for ten consecutive days it will change my life. And it did! I asked myself, how would 365 consecutive days of meditating change my life?

Dr. Dennis Merritt Jones writes in The Art of Being, “Discipline gives focus and direction to our energy of intention, which in turn unleashes the genius.” Here is how my life has changed since I accepted this challenge.  For one, I go through the day thinking. I know that thoughts become things, so I exercise discernment over that which I allow myself to think, speak and believe. It’s called right thinking.

I also have a day of constant prayer because I believe that our thoughts are prayers. Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh writes, “Every moment is a gift of life.” And through my daily meditation practice I have come to understand and appreciate the importance of mindfulness, which is the capacity to recognize what is happening in each moment.

Because I take the time to listen every day to the sweet inner wisdom of my soul, I come away feeling loved, happy, at peace and filled with joy for I am in the presence of pure being.  Jesus said it best, “On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, I in you.” (John 14:20)

On to the next 365 Days!

Namaste

A Day in the Life with Autism - Limitless Faith

Today, Lexi and I had a lesson in limitless faith.  My blessing each morning is to drive Emery Kate and Lexi to school.  First we drop off Lexi at her school then EK at the primary school.  This morning the girls were busy packing to go spend the weekend with their father.

Even typical children need routines and consistency in their lives.  But the need is greater and magnified with an atypical child with Autism.  To stay on task I use five minute warnings. This morning was no different than usual except for the packing which their mother had told them as she left for work to finish the packing after school. When we were five minutes from leaving Lexi could not find her extra hair brush and refused to unpack her good brush.  Time was passing and she became more and more frustrated and began to have a meltdown.  Emery Kate whispered in my ear and asked if Mark could take her to school so she wouldn’t be late.  He did and Lexi decided after they left that she would not go to school.

So I did the only thing I could and called her mother. Between the two of us, she coaching me what and how to get Lexi calmer, we convinced her to go to school.  Now there was the chance she would be tardy and that would trigger a whole other meltdown. Jennifer called her school and explained that we coming but might be late, mark her tardy if need be, but please don’t tell Lexi. She also talked with Lexi’s special needs teacher, Mrs. Dent to give her a heads up on Lexi’s state of mind.

Driving to school we were in a lot of traffic.  Behind the school in the carpool line, the PTO president at Lexi’s school, who works every day tirelessly volunteering at the elementary school, was in front of me.  She was turning left to drop her youngest off at the Primary school.  Not one person yielded to her letting her go in front of them.  We waiting car after car as Lexi got more and more anxious. I told her I was sorry for how things went this morning and that I loved her to the moon and back.  I said I would see her later when I got back to the school to volunteer and asked her if she was going to speech.  She said not on Fridays, but that she would find me.

We turned the corner in front of the school, the last car in line.  It was 7:59.  And there standing to Dr. McCrary, the principal, who always greets the children is Mrs. Dent.  They wave to Lexi, open the car door for her and greet her with great smiles.  She’s the last one on time and she is happy.  My heart overflows with gratitude for their response. I call my daughter and tell her we made it and I can’t stop crying.  How does a sweet kind little girl go from being happy and excited about visiting her dad this weekend to angry and frustrating in a matter of seconds because of a hair brush?  The question is rhetorical as there is no answer.  It just is part of living a life with Autism.

I can’t see through Lexi’s eyes or begin to understand her world.  I can remember that deep inside each of us is an inner wisdom and divine essence permeating in and around us.  It is limitless.  When I look inside those beautiful eyes I don’t see the Autism.  I see love; knowing that when I say, “I love you Lexi,” and she responds, “I’ll find you, ” we are saying the same thing.

~Mimi