Using your 5 senses to find clarity.

Life is not about, "things," yet most everything we see we tend to want.  Even when we know, "stuff," means very little.  Oh sure, at first it means everything.  The most important thing that we have wanted, have waited for and finally have purchased, comes home and we treat it as though it is as precious as gold.  Strangely enough, over time we disregard its importance completely.  Sometimes we can't even remember why we thought, "This thing is so great!"  Other things lose their luster for a time, then out of nowhere you come to appreciate it again.  It is, "those things" I feel have touched us on a much different level. 

Regardless, it all comes down to money, what's in your wallet or purse at that moment that gives you the liberty to go ahead and, "buy, buy, buy!" To indulge or not to indulge?  That is the question.  In my life time I have had the money to spend freely, (to a point) and I've been strapped for money.  I find it interesting how we can manage either way with relative ease if we stop thinking, based on how much green is in our possession, and start using our five senses to find in any scenario the diamond in the rough.  If the goal is to be careful with money for a time being, start doing stuff that costs very little.  Taking a walk in the woods.  Listening to the sounds of birds.  Hearing the sounds your footsteps make crunching down on sticks, leaves, or snow.  Smell the season you are in.  The fresh smell of spring, the warm smells of summer, the smell of burning leaves in the fall, or the clean smell of white winter snow.  Savor the smells as you make a pot of chili with your kids.  Let them slowly pour in the ingredients, toss the ground beef, dice the peppers and onions, stir the pot while it simmers and enjoy using the senses involved to bring about emotional glee.  Cuddling in with a movie, combing out your daughter's hair, reading a book together, all involve the power of touch, the power of sight and hearing.  You are engaging the senses and finding each experience is like the discovery of joy through very little effort.  It does not involve a trip to the store, to the mall, to any venue where money is essential. 

Think of this day dream.  Imagine going on your computer, pulling up your I-tunes library, and laying on the floor topped by a soft carpet, or a soft rug, and slowly play your music.  Alone or with others, day dream to the music as each song will prompt a new vision, a new dream, a new feeling, a new emotion.  Enjoy the senses being awakened by the music, the rhythm, the beat, the words, the voice behind the words. 

Your senses can bring you more joy than any, "thing," ever could, ever would, or ever will.  If you can't appreciate that, pinch yourself!  Wake up, and live in the real world.  The world of the living.  Most things you purchase are not alive.  Do most inanimate objects have feelings?  Sure, they probably do, ha-ha, but not in regards to the way I want you to find value in your everyday life with absolutely no money involved what-so-ever. 

Here's an idea to ponder.  Memories bring about past experiences involving sight, sound, touch, taste and smells.  If you want to awaken your soul and spirit, and bring about a sense of emotional response, think back to your memories.  Try to focus only on the ones you enjoy.  Ones that make you smile, laugh or feel warm all over.  These will bring forth pure goodness in your days. 

Find a connection.  Take the time to pet a cat, pet a dog, touch a fur, pick up cold snow in your hands, crinkle leaves  between your fingers, pick a flower, wave to a friend, blow someone a kiss, peel an orange, stroke someones sweet face. Take time to smell food cooking, smell clothes fresh from the dryer, smell the sweet scent of a babies skin, fresh cut grass, your husband or wife's perfume or cologne.  Find time to listen to music, to your child, husband or wife tell a story, to birds chirping, to the sound of waves crashing, to the sounds of someone sleeping soundly.  Find time to taste the things you love, the things you've wondered about, the things you have never tried, as well as paying attention to those things you think you know so well.  Taste the juice of a lemon, the water behind the melon, the sugar at the end of a lolly-pop, a salty chip, a sweet scoop of ice cream.  Finally, start looking at everything that you look at everyday through  a stranger's eye.  See it differently.  Step back and absorb the warmth and kindness behind the sights in your home, your yard.  Look at your town through clear, open, new eyes.  Don't blink, take it in fully and give it the value it deserves.  Do you see how valuable your life existence is.  Do you see how much value your life has without any monetary value being applied.  It is the value of the senses.  The beauty of diamonds, the clarity they hold, is the clarity you are allowing yourself to be a part of.  Life is short. Too short to let the highs and lows that money can instill in anyone be an influence on your joyful existence, your earthly experience. 

Let your senses help you enjoy it.  Find it.  Be it.  Live it.  After all, life is short.  You deserve the most, sensory stimulated, consecutive days in a row that you can get. 

S.