Returning to Center

For a long time, I thought the goal was to stay centered.

To reach some mythical state where I was calm, grounded, balanced, and unaffected by life's ups and downs.

Eventually, I realized that wasn't how life worked.

Life moves.

Circumstances change.

Moods change.

Energy changes.

Some mornings, I wake up feeling clear and steady.

Other days, I feel off before my feet even hit the floor.

The difference now is that I no longer expect myself to stay centered all the time.

I've learned that being human means drifting.

Getting distracted.

Getting overwhelmed.

Getting pulled away from ourselves.

The practice is not perfection.

The practice is noticing.

Noticing when I've wandered.

Noticing when something feels off.

And then finding my way back.

Again and again.

The older I get, the less interested I am in becoming someone who never loses their center.

And the more interested I am in becoming someone who knows how to return.