But Not Careless
Living gratefully today, I appreciate the lights I can turn on with ease, and the rooms of our comfortable home that those lights illuminate.
As I wrote on Wednesday: "Caring less, in healthy fashion, is an exercise in energy conservation. At this stage in my life, I need that." Caring less helps me prioritize, which helps me find more peace. More peace, less exhaustion. Less exhaustion, less carelessness.
Inattentive, remiss, negligent, causing harm... these all help define carelessness. As I typed them, they also defined what happens when I forget mindful gratitude. I miss and ignore the daily gifts that surround me. I am more negligent of other people's feelings and my own. I cause harm to my spiritual health, and overall health.
As a society and culture, I think we are becoming careless in ways. Careless about our environment. Careless about our driving and walking as we sneak a peak at our devices, or as we rush from one "must" or "need" to another. I can pause and ask myself how I am being careless, and just try to do better. That's all. Not try to change it all at once, just better for today.
Think about it. If we each catch ourselves in a careless moment and make a better choice, that can have a profound impact. Lives could literally be saved. At the least, more honor will come to whatever you or I just did.
When it comes down to it, caring less and being careless have little in common. Caring too much about things beyond my control is an exercise in futility. Caring less about things beyond my control is an exercise in letting go. It lightens burdens and clears obstacles. Carelessness shouldn't even be in the mix.
As I wrote on Wednesday: "Caring less, in healthy fashion, is an exercise in energy conservation. At this stage in my life, I need that." Caring less helps me prioritize, which helps me find more peace. More peace, less exhaustion. Less exhaustion, less carelessness.
Inattentive, remiss, negligent, causing harm... these all help define carelessness. As I typed them, they also defined what happens when I forget mindful gratitude. I miss and ignore the daily gifts that surround me. I am more negligent of other people's feelings and my own. I cause harm to my spiritual health, and overall health.
As a society and culture, I think we are becoming careless in ways. Careless about our environment. Careless about our driving and walking as we sneak a peak at our devices, or as we rush from one "must" or "need" to another. I can pause and ask myself how I am being careless, and just try to do better. That's all. Not try to change it all at once, just better for today.
Think about it. If we each catch ourselves in a careless moment and make a better choice, that can have a profound impact. Lives could literally be saved. At the least, more honor will come to whatever you or I just did.
When it comes down to it, caring less and being careless have little in common. Caring too much about things beyond my control is an exercise in futility. Caring less about things beyond my control is an exercise in letting go. It lightens burdens and clears obstacles. Carelessness shouldn't even be in the mix.
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