Being
I came on my blog to take a look at the state of things, and I was shocked to see it’s been three months since I’ve posted anything. That’s indicative of the way my life has been the last ninety days, I guess. Because of a whole bunch of crazy, unforeseen, and unbelievable circumstances, my day-to-day life at work has been riddled with uncertainty and upheaval. I hesitate to go into too much detail about what I do for work, and this blog will never be political, but I’ll just say that I work for the United States government in what most Americans would agree is an important role for protecting public health and safety, particularly in and around the nuclear industry. My federal agency is awaiting some kind of major overhaul, but the limited information being shared with staff is just causing the rumor mill to spiral. It’s kind of a tough spot right now, but I’m doing my best to connect with coworkers, work hard, and stay focused on the mission. Like pretty much everyone at my agency, I love what I do, and I truly care about spending taxpayer money wisely and protecting the public. Sadly, all that is getting lost in the wash of our country’s current events.
In the past, I have written about Eckhart Tolle’s work, particularly how “The Power of Now” helped signifcantly alter my thinking and mindset. For me, one of the biggest takeaways from Tolle is the danger of making an occupation and workplace into one’s identity. Over Memorial Day weekend, I had a chance to catch up with a couple old college friends, and, as always, talking to them restored my soul. These two friends live hundreds of miles and a world away from me, and they don’t view me through the lens of my job title or pay grade. Reconnecting with them reminded me that my inner being has space around it and is totally separate from every physical or material part of my world. I am not my job, salary, house, car, personal possessions, or even physical body. Those things are all just little ripples of waves on the surface of an entire ocean of consciousness and self. A flood of peace and contentment drenched my soul as I sat there talking to my friends.
If anyone out there reading needs to hear this, please just remember that you are not defined by your past or future. You are not the amount of money you make or the car you drive or the house you live in. You are an essential and valuable part of the universe, and your inner being cannot be touched by external circumstances or situations. You are important to me, if for no other reason than we share the same planet and breathe the same air. You are purposely and wonderfully made.