The Struggle to Stay Present

I've written about the importance of "living in the present" before; and I'm sorry to tell you that neither that post - nor this one - is filled with particularly groundbreaking information.  (What can I say? I'm no Eckhart Tolle or Swami Satchidananda.)  Regardless, recently I've really been struggling with the idea of embracing the present moment.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I feel like I am living right on the periphery of life-altering change.  

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It's as if I am standing at the edge of the cliff, and I know that I have to jump.

I also know that I will land safely.

But the moment right before I leap...

...as I'm standing and looking over the cliff...

...is utterly terrifying.

The result is that I want to be anywhere, anywhere but there, on that cliff.

I just want to have jumped already.

I want to have already landed safely.

I want to skip over the actual act of jumping...

...the free fall...

...the terror of transitioning from one place of stability to another.

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As Bo and Lola and I finish up our last few weeks here in Jacksonville, FL, I feel the tides of change swirling around me.  And even though I feel that change coming, and I KNOW it is coming, it is also really crazy to think that everything from where we live, to who our friends are, to where we grocery shop, is about to change.

And this change is different in so many more ways than ever before.

I have never lived in the Pacific Time Zone before.

We will have real winters.

I will work...somewhere I'm sure...but, as of yet, I have no idea where.

We will live in the same house for three years.

I won't be this close to my family again for a long time.

God willing, we will start a family in this new home.

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For all of these reasons and more, I am having a hard time staying present, living in the here and the now, and embracing today.  I catch myself rushing ahead, wanting to skip over this time of "goodbye," and I find myself wanting to hurry through this time of transition just so that I can feel "settled" again.

I'm not sure, but maybe our best growth happens during times of transition.  Maybe personal growth requires you to feel a little unstable.  Maybe, when I am at my most uncomfortable, I have no other option than to "let go" and just "let it be."  And perhaps the greatest gift of all is learning that when I "let go" and just "let it be," happiness and joy are still mine.

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Maybe it's all as Swami Satchidananda has said:

[Life] is all just a carnival.  We meet people and sit with them on a carousel for a while.  Your neighbor might be sitting on a tiger, you might be sitting on a horse.  You say, "Hey, hello," and go around in a circle.  When the ride is over you get down, but he may continue.  Or he may get down and go somewhere else.  Just think of the whole [life] as a carnival." (Source)

Yes, life it just a carnival.

Get on.

Get off.

Get on.

Get off.

Be happy.

Be joyful.

Always. 

Question of the Day:

How do you stay present when things are about to change?  Any and ALL suggestions are welcome in the "Comment" section below!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Well, we've been on pins and needles for the past three weeks, and today the wait was FINALLY over.  

Today, we were told that we will be moving to...

...drum roll please...

WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA!

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As you can see on the map above, Whidbey is about an hour and a half from Seattle, and about an hour south of Vancouver, Canada.  From all the pictures I have seen, it looks GORGEOUS.  I can't wait to experience the cooler weather and an actual. winter. season.!

I definitely see lots of skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and lots of outdoor activities in our future, not to mention many a Canadian adventure!

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It's also exciting because Whidbey will be our our first permanent duty station, meaning that we will be stationed there for approximately three years (the longest that Bo and I have lived somewhere since we got married)!  During that time, Bo will complete his first (and possibly second) deployment, and we will probably try to expand the Behne clan.

Whatever happens, we are looking forward to it!  

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In other "changing" news, Yoga Life Studio (where I am a Business Partner and Co-Director) is closing this Friday.

Although it is hard to let the studio go, a variety of things factored into Sara's (the owner's) final decision to close - a tough economy and growing lease fees among them.  Perhaps most importantly, the owner's son has autism and (understandable and rightfully so) needs her undivided attention, energy, and love.  I think that Sara said in best in her farewell letter to the community:

After prayerful consideration, I have decided to close Yoga Life Studio on Friday, October 5th.   I want to extend my deepest gratitude to every student who has walked through our doors and shared their life, energy and breath with me.  You have inspired me, changed me, lifted my soul and transformed me in so many countless ways.  I truly enjoyed being your guide and mentor on the path of yoga.  I am eternally grateful to my students who understood the challenges we faced this year, and supported me with their presence on the mat, a kind word of encouragement, a hug, and so much more.   When you come to that place where you know you cannot do it alone...it's actually the sweetest place to be.   Only then you really see how God works in your life.  I saw God working in so many of you this year and I will never forget our time together.

So, as I conclude this post I am reminded that there are times to let go, and there are times to move forward.

Today was a time for both.

As they say, "when one door closes..."

Question of the Day:

Have you ever made a BIG move to a new city/state/part of the country?  Tell me all about your experience below!  We need all the advice we can get...

Blessings,
Ally and Bo