“A long time ago in a galaxy, far, far away…
Comes May. I knew it was coming, it happens every year around this time.
The world begins to morph, and so do our bodies.
It is a month that brings a rumble of energy and tasks to keep us occupied while we await the arrival of summer proper. It’s a ‘Hurry Up and Wait’ month. Our crocus allies begin to bloom, the lawn sprouts random sprigs of green, we shake out the wrinkles of the summer duvet, set out our patio furniture – and then we wait. But we’re READY!
The Star Wars story is another version of The Only Story – the struggle between light and dark. Rich in archetypes and the ever present Joseph Campbell hero arc, it is a story that speaks of self-discipline, as well as reminding us that not everything is as it seems. It teaches us that we need to be “soul – y” responsible for ourselves, to “grow up”, and to continue to better ourselves, not making assumptions about how the world works.
But how life plays out depends on how you set the stage – on this side of the galaxy. Paradoxically we can and can’t, force it.
Ahh, hard to see, the Dark Side is. – Yoda
But may I dispense with the pleasantries, I am here to put you back on schedule. – Darth Vader
FORCES OF KINDNESS
There are forces, one of which is kindness, that requires finding out if we can be strong and smart and still be kind, as well as being profoundly kind to ourselves. It helps us to genuinely care for each another and ourselves. There is immense grace in kindness, and the kind of confidence that transcends in mutually inclusive, so we aren’t looking for love in Alderaan places.
Kindness is the force that truly has us ‘walking our talk’, not so easy to do. Sometimes it’s as difficult as navigating an asteroid field, which incidentally is approximately 3,720 to 1. And you think your commute is tough.
Don’t ask me why I felt like that needed so much explanation.
You aren’t gonna say you have a bad feeling about this, are you? – Hans Solo
So how do we start? By making your bed. Every. Day.
Studies show that people who make their bed every morning are happier. I don’t know where those studies are, but I’m sure they’re right.
Now, Naval Adm. William H. McRaven, B.J. ’77, ninth commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, Texas says,
“If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day, that one task completed, will have turned many tasks into completed.
Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you can’t do the big things right.”
Do or do not…there is no try. – Yoda
As for me, I’ve pretty well aced The Making of The Bed Every Day. Except for this morning, and maybe two days ago. And I have also vowed to drink a glass of lemon water first thing every morning. And to go to a yoga class between one and thirty-seven times a week for the rest of my life.
So far, I seem to be erring on the lower end of the math, but I’m going, and have almost mastered Child’s Resting Pose.
But the ultimate challenge I have just dreamed up is to Do One New Thing (preferably outside my comfort zone) Every Week. For example, watching Star Wars Episode V111 without popcorn.
Doing something new and/or outside your comfort zone, means forcing yourself to ‘Cross the Road.’
I can hear it now – “Now, why would you do that?”
Buddha might have replied: “If you ask this question, you deny your own chicken-nature.”
Anyways, I loved and bought this piece of art last weekend, hung it on a wall close to my freshly made bed, reminding me to Do It Every Week.
Yes siree, I am definitely a force to be reckoned with.
You will find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view. – Obi-Wan Kenobi
I was also reminded of my favorite Irish poet, David Whyte, who probably makes his bed every day, who explained how he came to make the tough decision to become a full time poet.
“Firstly, I was going to do at least one thing every day toward my future life as a poet. I calculated that no matter how small a step I took each day, over a year that would come to a grand total of 365 actions . . . one thing a day is a powerful multiplier.”
It’s not rocket science.
Just like our disciplined bed-maker, Naval Admiral William H. McRaven, B.J. ’77, ninth commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, Texas, Whyte likens the gradually accumulating power of small actions—sending an email, making a phone call, taking a half hour walk—to the acceleration generated by a space probe under ion propulsion.
The other thing Whyte did to transform his life and career, was to initiate what he calls “courageous conversations” with the world around him.
“I told everyone I knew that I was moving toward becoming a full-time poet. I wanted them to hear it and to hold me to what they had heard. Disbelief, silence, scorn, I didn’t care,” he recalls. “I was doing my damnedest to create a kind of gravitational field that would have me drawn increasingly into its center.”
O.K., you now have free reign to ask me what I invented for myself that week.
FAILURE TO LAUNCH
It’s easy to retreat into whatever one’s favourite iDistraction happens to be – like watching Return of the Jedi for the twenty-seventh time in your unmade bed.
Our hook-up technology culture celebrates connectedness, but encourages retreat. It can obliterate thinking for yourself – revering to God Goggle. Or really seeing what is around you – the Downward Facing Eyes. Arrows pointing anywhere but inside ourselves.
Your eyes can deceive you, don’t trust them. – Obi-Wan Kenobi
You can always choose to wait for a door to close and another one to open – but you can always just open the door. That’s what doors are for.
Han: How we doing?
Luke: Same as always…
Han: That bad, huh?
You have only one decision to make every day: how will you use your time?
Hopefully, Obi-Wan has taught you well.
But if you had one of these beautifully styled beds below, I wouldn’t blame you a bit for not leaving.
Already know you that which you need. – Yoda
Throw on a knitted chunky wool, or any throw, on top of a down comforter, adding texture, warmth, interest, and maybe some colour. A look that’s truly out of this world.
When your bed fails to launch because you don’t have a headboard, add pillows. Lots of them.
When you can’t read in bed, it’s probably because you don’t have a fabulous swing-arm lamp.
If you find you have things scattered all over the universe, treat yourself to a night table with lots of storage.
The Wide Blue Yonder. Fall asleep with a love poem or and crash under a vintage car the next. The interchangeable headboard covers are artful imagery that will inspire all kinds of exotic dreams. Complete with a handmade cedar frame and pad, the digitally printed piece quickly slides into place and can be swapped with a different cover whenever you please.
Reflect your larger than life personality, and place a oversize mirror behind your bed. Send up clouds of rapture with billowing drifts of muslin floating overhead.
GO OUTSIDE – YOURSELF
And when the world seems to be driving you crazy, there may be a solution. Build yourself a ‘She-Shed’ or ‘He-Shed’. There are no rules or strict guidelines that come with making your own, except that pretty much nobody else is allowed in there except you. And the best part is, you can do it pretty cheaply. Simply convert a garden shed, and buy furniture and accessories from secondhand stores, garage sales and the like.
Notwithstanding,
Remember…the Force will be with you, always. – Wan Kenobi
Shutting up, Sir.
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