What it would be like without them

I like to remain still after waking, to listen to my breathing and then wait to see which thoughts percolate up to my conscious mind. After my nap this afternoon, one of the thoughts that emerged was a “how to” for appreciating one’s current life: envisioning what it would be like without some of the people who currently grace it. I tried it, and it worked! I thought of how quickly it will be when our kids are grown and no longer in our home, which tuned my heart to them. I tried to imagine how they feel, which made me acutely interested in their happiness. When one of the kids ran upstairs to tell me of her plan to have a tea party with her little brother, I was ready to give her my rapt attention. It is a delight to actively enjoy the people in one’s life!