satisfying things in my world today:
1. a decent run for an old lady with arthritis
2. beer after run
3. the meeting ended
4. reading a good email from a friend describing how she spent her birthday beautifully
5. seeing an old friend and being reminded of a beautiful place and time
These are some of the things that keep the strangely persistent sense of gloom at bay. What on earth is that thing, anyway? It's like I can't see the forest for the trees right now or something. But these are good trees, so that is some consolation and I appreciate it.
According to buddhism we are both awakening and ignorance, not necessarily in equal measure but they do seem to slosh around together inside me in varying mixtures. Satisfaction for me has something to do with getting that mix to be lean enough to run smoothly. Clearer, cleaner mindfulness with less ignorance. In each moment, I adjust as I am able.
so I rambling into Saturday night...
Showing posts with label satisfaction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label satisfaction. Show all posts
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
complete satisfaction
I am completely satisfied with the dinner I just ate: leftover potato salad, haloumi cheese, beer.
I am completely satisfied with the meeting I just attended: turns out there are many more people opposed to the new marina development that will destroy a gorgeous section of mangroves than for it: that is satisfying to me and the process of community consultation is satisfying.
I am completely satisfied with the card we got in the mail from a dear friend today. Love snail mail (this card actually had a picture of a banana slug on it, but close enough.)
I am completely satisfied with a busy day coming to a quiet close. One more meeting tonight at 8:00 p.m. and then off to..
I am completely satisfied with the new mattress I bought yesterday.
May your list of complete satisfactions be long...
I am completely satisfied with the meeting I just attended: turns out there are many more people opposed to the new marina development that will destroy a gorgeous section of mangroves than for it: that is satisfying to me and the process of community consultation is satisfying.
I am completely satisfied with the card we got in the mail from a dear friend today. Love snail mail (this card actually had a picture of a banana slug on it, but close enough.)
I am completely satisfied with a busy day coming to a quiet close. One more meeting tonight at 8:00 p.m. and then off to..
I am completely satisfied with the new mattress I bought yesterday.
May your list of complete satisfactions be long...
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
no satisfaction
In actual fact, I don't know what was satisfying today. I'm supposed to be posting about one satisfying thing in my day to go along with our "satisfaction" topic at daily headspa this week. Today's post over there was "no satisfaction" and that rather fits my day.
It was a day of doing things that needed to be done - US taxes, sorting out some other money things, buying new mattresses because every day on the old ones we wake up more tired than the last. We had a chance to talk through a project at work with a colleague. That was good.
Of course I am grateful to have the money to buy those mattresses; to have money to sort out; to have earned money on which to pay taxes. I'm grateful to have been able to do things - health, safety, abilities intact.
But what was doing all of that stuff satisfying?
What would have been satisfying?
1. completing a project - oh, wait, I did mail off an article that was due today so right on time
2. creating something beautiful
3. laughing with a friend
4. reaping some reward from a previous effort
5. solving a puzzle
6. discovering somewhere
7. making something myself so I can unhook a bit more from the money trap
the satisfying thing today? being satisfied with no satisfaction.
It was a day of doing things that needed to be done - US taxes, sorting out some other money things, buying new mattresses because every day on the old ones we wake up more tired than the last. We had a chance to talk through a project at work with a colleague. That was good.
Of course I am grateful to have the money to buy those mattresses; to have money to sort out; to have earned money on which to pay taxes. I'm grateful to have been able to do things - health, safety, abilities intact.
But what was doing all of that stuff satisfying?
What would have been satisfying?
1. completing a project - oh, wait, I did mail off an article that was due today so right on time
2. creating something beautiful
3. laughing with a friend
4. reaping some reward from a previous effort
5. solving a puzzle
6. discovering somewhere
7. making something myself so I can unhook a bit more from the money trap
the satisfying thing today? being satisfied with no satisfaction.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
self satisfied?
Our post at daily headspa looking closely at the notion of self-satisfaction has me wondering if my entry here today ought to be about something I'm satisfied with in myself today. Or is that too hard to claim?
I'll give it a try.
I am satisfied with the way I clarified something in a meeting today at work. Instead of letting a questionable assumption about who was going to do what just hang there, when I could feel it was muddying the waters (mine at least) I spoke up. Like I would probably have experienced in many other (most?) workplaces, I felt a real pressure to let it slide and not show my ignorance. But I figured it was better to clear it up now then when expectations aren't met down the road or I step on somebody's turf by accident. I feel satisfied with myself for braving it.
Whew. That's it then.
I'll give it a try.
I am satisfied with the way I clarified something in a meeting today at work. Instead of letting a questionable assumption about who was going to do what just hang there, when I could feel it was muddying the waters (mine at least) I spoke up. Like I would probably have experienced in many other (most?) workplaces, I felt a real pressure to let it slide and not show my ignorance. But I figured it was better to clear it up now then when expectations aren't met down the road or I step on somebody's turf by accident. I feel satisfied with myself for braving it.
Whew. That's it then.
Monday, April 13, 2009
satisfaction 101
We're blogging about satisfaction at daily headspa this week. I'm going to think about it everyday...and write about each day's little (or big) satisfactions here. Whatcha got? You can join in!
Today's satisfaction: canoeing the mangroves with our friend Bill.
Later in the week I'm hoping to attend a meeting to learn more about a proposed development that will build over/eliminate the particular area of this distinctive ecosystem where I was canoeing today. I am going to dream tonight of how sweet the satisfaction would be if that development plan was stopped by the power of the people.
Because today it was so incredibly satisfying to look at trees from the angle of gliding over the top of them in salt water. I mean, is this not the most amazing plant in the world? Well, pretty amazing anyway. Or what about the satisfaction of spotting that kingfisher amongst the branches and leaves? Or fairy gliding the canoe on the outgoing tide to take us across the river back to the landing? Or watching and waiting to see if that flock of red tailed black cockatoos would really fly right over the top of us. Or the sound of the splash when the sting ray jumped and only Bill saw it.
The satisfaction of knowing that this world amongst the mangroves has nothing to do with me, the human. It is its own world and is intrinsically meaningful because it exists not because someday it might be a marina. Maybe saving this place will be as complicated as finding our way out of the tangle of trees this morning, but it would be very satisfying indeed.
Today's satisfaction: canoeing the mangroves with our friend Bill.
Later in the week I'm hoping to attend a meeting to learn more about a proposed development that will build over/eliminate the particular area of this distinctive ecosystem where I was canoeing today. I am going to dream tonight of how sweet the satisfaction would be if that development plan was stopped by the power of the people.
Because today it was so incredibly satisfying to look at trees from the angle of gliding over the top of them in salt water. I mean, is this not the most amazing plant in the world? Well, pretty amazing anyway. Or what about the satisfaction of spotting that kingfisher amongst the branches and leaves? Or fairy gliding the canoe on the outgoing tide to take us across the river back to the landing? Or watching and waiting to see if that flock of red tailed black cockatoos would really fly right over the top of us. Or the sound of the splash when the sting ray jumped and only Bill saw it.
The satisfaction of knowing that this world amongst the mangroves has nothing to do with me, the human. It is its own world and is intrinsically meaningful because it exists not because someday it might be a marina. Maybe saving this place will be as complicated as finding our way out of the tangle of trees this morning, but it would be very satisfying indeed.
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