We have all felt a great deal of fear and uncertainty these past few weeks from the explosion in West, Texas to the bombings in Boston and most recently, to the horror of the factory collapse in Bangladesh. These tragedies remind us of the preciousness of our human life and how quickly everything can change. We feel helpless, angry and confused about what to do.
As I struggled with these feelings, I turned to my meditation practice to stay present with myself and “rest” in these uncomfortable feelings and thoughts. I noticed when I wanted to “fly off the handle” with my story lines and practiced returning to the breath and just being with the sense of sorrow and grief that came up for me.
I also did something else. I “showed up” for my storytelling piece I was scheduled to perform. I walked up to the mic and faced my fear, performed my story and celebrated life. Through this offering, I connected to others and embraced the beauty of our shared humanity. Celebrating life, reaching out to help others and practicing compassion has helped me through this difficult time.