Breathing Lessons

February 12, 2006

Ann Tyler wrote a novel called  ‘Breathing Lessons.’ I don’t remember what it’s about, I’m not even sure I finished it, but I’m grateful for her choice of title.

The next seven days look horrible on my calendar. Things are double booked, there isn’t any white space, it’s unclear to me when the eating and sleeping and doing my homework is supposed to fit in, let alone that relaxing, having fun part of it. And, honestly, the stuff on my calendar isn’t my favorite, a lot of it’s stressful and most of it involves groups of people, which I find to be exhausting after awhile. Some of it is stuff I agreed to, the rest was assigned; most of it is stuff I really can’t get out of, or afford to miss, but there is just so much. And the amount of reading for next week . . . 

It’s helpful then to remember that sometimes breathing requires practice. Comforting to think that maybe someone else along the way seriously considered buying brown paper bags even though they didn’t have to take their lunch anywhere. Important to remember when I forget that breathing is supposed to be slow and regular. An in and out kind of give and take. In the gasping and shallow moments, it’s helpful to remember that breathing can require practice and maybe it’s normal if I forget every now and then. It’s a come and go kind of thing. An in and out phenomenon. 

Posted in life, school, spirituality by Sarah