Focus

"Only one thing has to change for us to know happiness in our lives: where we focus our attention."

-- Greg Anderson

I pulled my shoulder out this weekend and the pain was excruciating but I fought it because it was my dear sister’s birthday. I was able to do all that needed to be done because my focus was on others, not me.

Needless to say, as soon as I hit the pillow the pain became my focus and I did not sleep. There wasn’t a position that made my shoulder even feel remotely better. It was a long night.

I took Monday off and kept heat on it all day while taking flexoril. I didn’t do anything that might hurt it. No knitting…no writing…no cleaning…no anything. This left me with a lot of time to think.

In spiritual terms, this injury was with my right arm…my giving arm. With the left, we take in and the right we give out. So I guess this is my body’s way of saying I’ve been spreading myself too thin?

All weekend I’d been feeling pretty off and I thought I’d been good when I stayed home instead of going to the pool party. I slept the entire time. I didn’t stay up late and I really tried to get some rest this weekend. I didn’t overbook any day and tried to spread all the stuff we had to do out. So it really didn’t make any sense to me.

Until I heard coyote laughing…it could have been the 3 extra shots they put in my frap through my drug-induced, sleep-deprived haze but I know I heard that furry trickster who just happens to be one of my totems yucking it up big time.

The joke was on me. My heyoka was ROLFing while I tried desperately to figure out what the heck was so darn funny.

Did you ever see the Cartoon with Joker and Harlequin where she has Batman strung up over a tank of piranha?

Joker’s like, “What’s so funny about that?”

And she replies, “If you turn upside down all their little faces have smiles on them.”

And he, in turn, says, “If you have to explain it to me then it is not funny.”

That whole train of thought made my heyoka stop laughing. He actually started pouting and promptly disappeared.

After a moment of silence, another guide of mine popped into my head, “You shouldn’t tease him like that.”

“Me,” I exclaimed angrily, “He shouldn’t play so many games.”

“You know that is his nature. He was just trying to teach you about yours.”

“I still don’t get it.”

“Hon you spent the whole week out of focus with your new prescription yet you managed to conquer every obstacle that came your way. This weekend you balanced taking care of you with the needs of your family. You’ve spent the last few months learning what helps to keep you happy and centered and you’ve worked each day to make sure you focus on those things.”

I waited for him to give me an answer to this plaguing question in my head. What did all this mean? I knew he would make me understand this life lesson and clear up any doubt that was in my head with his next statement.

He cleared his throat, “The lesson is that you shouldn’t reach two feet over your head for something that is really heavy. Next time use a step ladder.”

I could hear coyote laughing again and this time I joined him.

Ruinwen
:)