Routine vs. Discipline

While catching up on a bit blog reading today, I noticed an exchange concerning routine vs. discipline. It reminded me of how much my husband depended on maintaining his daily routine to remind him of healthier days during his chemo/radiation treatment months. Each activity meant something, gave the day an outline to follow with broad headings, allowing the actual events and details of the day to provide variety. He said it gave him hope.

My own experience has shown me that the quality of everything we do depends on intention and attention, so routine will be as mindless and boring as we allow, just as discipline can become constricting if enforced robotically. Routine structures the activities, and we use discipline to do them as daily practice. HOW we do depends on attitude.

There is also the aspect of routine which carries us through a dark period like a beacon precisely because of its repetitive nature. All the various diciplines encourage us to develop a routine that will lead us to the flow of creative inspiration--working in a selected space, doing the warmups, putting in the time (however short or seemingly fruitless) and closing with hints for the next days practice...a new starting point built on this days work. Every day.

Routine and discipline walk hand in hand, like little schoolchildren-- either controlled and bored, fearful of punishment or smiling and skipping ready to discover the days new lessons. Boring or exciting--same energy, different approach. Shrieks of delight, furrowed brows, deep sighs--it's all part of the show.

Get Ready to Fly

So far this morning, three people have spoken to me about being thrust into situations requiring sudden change. Risk is in the air folks. Yes, I feel nervous, but I'm determined to soar into my destiny with joy. Here's the quote I was emailed this morning for encouragement.
A trapeze artist
cannot swing
from one bar to another
without letting go.

Fly and land with a smile...ta daaah!

Happy New Year 2006!

When midnight arrived on Dec. 31st and that wonderful, glittering crystal ball finally descended at Times Square in Manhattan I cried. What?!!! Yes, a few tears of RELIEF. 2005 was finally over. Deep breath...finally done, finished, gone, never to return again. God bless this planet and help us all find peace and courage and wisdom and most of all the living of "love thy neighbor as thy Self." This year is one of promise. It begins another cycle of major changes for me. It's been a long period of overturning and planting, but this time the changes will be seeing the multi-colored blooms of seeds planted and diligently tended before.

How did I celebrate this new beginning? I phoned friends & family in Canada, Switzerland and in their new homes around the USA. I baked bread and cooked delicious meals. I devoured inspiration from the quilting and fabric painting books borrowed from the library and sewed the background on a little practice quilt. I wrote many pages in my journal and was deeply moved reading Ray Bradberry's, "Zen and the Art of Writing." Caught the matinee of the Narnia Chronicles with a theater full of children and popcorn bearing parents. Fabulous! I loved the Narnia books when I read them years ago and I loved the movie. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed reading fairy tales and science fiction as a child, always amazed at how fantastic worlds full of people, creatures, different ideas and entire lifetimes could be visited inside the covers of a book.

On Sunday I visited my dear friend Hilly who has just celebrated her 5th anniversary after breat cancer. Hurray!!! We hadn't seen each other since I starting treatment for the car accident injuries. Finally told her that two days before Christmas I was laid off from my place of employment after 4 years there. Yes, many changes. We smiled and hugged--onward and upward. It was wonderful to be amoung friends again and reconnecting with those in her circle whom I only see during holiday visits. Not getting around much these days, so attending that party was a festive treat!

Today it's been raining, driveway is icy and the snow expected in the afternoon has already begun to fall. Big fat flakes dancing down from a solid white sky. So far they're melting. The left knee aches, neck creaks, side throbs, the head is dizzy and the stomache's upset; couldn't drive to physical therapy this morning nor to the office. Another day of rest at home. BUT...chin up...I plan to do some hand stitching on the little quilt already begun:

One step at a time...every cloud has a silver lining! To those who've stopped by for a visit, I wish you joy!