In 45 minutes, I will go on the radio to talk about mindfulness. It's not the best time to be composing a blog post - on the other hand, it's the perfect time.Because, you know, here I am - composing a blog post.In the past few years, as my kids grew up and out of the house, I found that I was able to breathe in a new way. Part of it was that now I have the time to work and work and work all the way to the end of a page whereas before I was always driving someone somewhere or volunteering for something or mopping someone up off the floor.There was all of this time. But it wasn't the time that changed me. It was the way that I used it. Committing to showing up in every area of my life. First and foremost, I committed to showing up for me.That was big. BIG. HUGE.I committed to being present, awake, aware and fully there for myself - which meant that I was gonna have to be present to some other people, too.

• My mom
• My dad
• My husband
• My kids
• My friends
• My sisters
• My extended family.
• You

I was not sure that I COULD do it. Such a little thing: Stand over there, be where you are. Such an enormous challenge: Stay in your body, don't zone out, don't disassociate - even when there is suffering going on in front of you, even when someone says something you don't like, even when, God help you, you feel bored.Just look around the room - see what is here, right here, this moment.Take a deep breath. Exhale and accept that this is how it is.