Only in extreme emergencies would I even consider going out without first combing my hair and taking care of my appearance. Too often, I’m rushing about utilizing my last few, precious seconds, taking one last look in the mirror to apply lip color or coax a stray strand of hair as I dash out the door. Barely on time, I let out a sigh of relief, “There! Ready!” …Or am I?

At first glance, I appear to be ready for the day. That’s pretty much where it begins and ends. It seems I’ve only prepared what shows on the outside. I think I’m ready because I’ve confused outward appearance with inner preparedness. I’ve taken great care to prepare my shell, but where the real me resides has been quite overlooked. I’m only fooling myself when I think the only things that show are the clothes, hairstyle and makeup that I’m wearing. My ‘demeanor’ speaks so loudly that it always colors what I’m saying and doing.

When I’m too hurried or preoccupied to take the time to nurture my inner self, I pay a price and humanity pays a price. At first thought it might seem like an overstatement and that it doesn’t really matter… but I know better. Yes, I may still run as many errands, see everyone I need to see and get everything done in the same order but the price paid is that I’ve traded heartfelt encounters with joyless, token exchanges.

A “hello” that is accompanied by a real smile that radiates from within is not only seen it is felt. I experienced just such a bright hello on my walk this morning as I passed a fellow walker that I’d never seen before. She greeted me with such joy and enthusiasm that a mere “good morning!” from her immediately lifted my spirits that were not even in need of lifting, or so I thought… It said to me, “I see you, I validate your worth by acknowledging your presence and I wish to share my joy with you today.” How very different that is than an absent-minded hello whose glance never quite reaches our eyes. It got me to thinking that we are all capable of both ways of greeting one another but our ‘default’ setting seems to be of the rushed, preoccupied kind if we even acknowledge one another at all. It takes a certain level of awareness to be mindful of the way we greet others as we go about life.

Awareness takes time to nurture. In order to make the transition to being fully present to everyone I meet, I must be willing to set aside the time it takes, just like I do for combing my hair and brushing my teeth. I will do it only if I value awareness as much as I value outward appearance. From experience, I know that time spent in silence and self-reflection is an investment in myself as well as in the ‘greater good.’ I see it as tending to my inner garden, and when it is well tended, oh, the joy and love that I experience can’t help but spill over to those I meet in my daily rounds. It is a win-win because as the saying goes, “the fragrance of the flower lingers on the hand of the giver.”

For this reason, I renew my commitment and effort to make space in my early morning routine to sit in prayerful silence and listen. Listen to my heart, my soul and ask Spirit to guide my self-reflection, to see those imperfections that would best be eliminated and to rejoice with humility, those qualities that reflect Pure Love. My prayer is: “Help me to be open and aware today as to how I can serve. Please use me; that I may bring Love to all, especially those most in need.”

Once I’ve put myself in that frame of mind, then and only then have I fully prepared myself both inside and out, to go out the door and meet whatever comes my way…

~Zanne

InSearchOfAuthenticity.com

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