I’m on a flight right now from Mississippi to North Carolina. A very delayed flight I might add. It’s now scheduled to land at 11:05pm in Charlotte. I awoke this morning at 4:30 am.
I’ve travelled every week this month. First, my entire family joined me in Baton Rouge for a couple of days centered around a golf tournament I played. Next, my son, daughter, and new dog joined me in New Orleans for a little hotel, pool, and food extravaganza. Last week, my boss joined me in Tupelo for another golf tournament.
And now, I’m off again. I would say it’s for vacation, but honestly I play when I work and I work when I play, so I don’t think there is such a thing for me.
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For the past three to six months, I’ve consciously done something I had never done before: go a million miles a minute but make sure that I’m deeply still a couple of times each day.
It’s been a beautiful and refreshing experience. The list of things I want to do in my life and the things required to actually do them takes an absolute minimum of twelve hours per day and oodles of energy. I learned last year that if I didn’t incorporate some daily cleansing via stillness, I might become a disaster, or worse.
So for 15-30 minutes per day, I go into deep silence and stillness. It is an intoxicating experience, and that seems to be plenty of time to provide me the energy and clarity needed to tackle my life’s interests. I require less sleep and way less food, yet I’m genuinely living more life than I ever have.
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I have a zillion people I would love to see while I am back in North Carolina. I can’t wait to hear my mom play the organ on Sunday. There is a huge international soccer game Monday in Charlotte. I’m playing Pinehurst # 2 Wednesday, one of the most difficult golf courses in the world.
But I’ve also got visions of times of stillness: laying by a pool, reading a book, meditating out in nature, sitting quietly on the soccer field I played on both as a child and in college.
It’s a fascinating new paradox in my life. Do I want to go-go-go, or do I want to slip into deep silence and stillness? Case in point is this article. I wanted to write on the plane, but I also wanted to meditate for the duration of the flight.
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I now know one thing for sure. If I wanted to experience life in its entirety, I had to learn how to be still. I’m still working on it, but it definitely makes the non-still moments that much more electric.
For instance, on Wednesday I’ll probably be quiet for a few moments prior to teeing off. I’ll go deep. I’ll check out. And then I’ll come back, ready to tackle those devilish turtle back greens.
I’ve got a personal best score to post, and I’m peacefully hellbent on doing so.
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Have a great week.-Benj
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