Fresh Starts

I've been thinking about fresh starts, the ones which occur naturally as well as those we create. The beginning of a new year is an obvious example, as are birthdays and anniversaries. New jobs or relocations also signal new beginnings, as do some spiritual experiences.

Recently, my husband and I were fortunate enough to be able to purchase a small vacation home in a place we love--Asheville, North Carolina. We had talked for some time about retiring there one day, but late last year we decided to take a big leap (well before our retirement) and buy a modest condominium there, with a view of the surrounding mountains. We were able to spend some time enjoying it over the holidays, and we are already having a blast exploring our new community.

The West End Bakery in Asheville, NC

I've chosen mindfulness as a particular focus for 2014, and I'm noticing that new surroundings lend themselves beautifully to mindfulness practice, particularly when you know your access to those surroundings will be somewhat limited for a while. I find myself motivated to pay attention so that I can notice just what is where and which places we may want to return to. I'm fascinated by little differences (and similarities) in climate and how people speak.

Of course, the reality is that virtually every place is filled with a multitude of things to explore. Witness the number of things a crawling baby can find to put in her mouth in a single room. Consider all the living things there are in your backyard or a nearby park.

The number of incredible things we miss each day--things that are right in front of us--is staggering. By adulthood, most of us have learned to tune them out almost completely. Often, our minds are so focused either on the future--some meeting, project, or conversation we anticipate or perhaps something we hope to achieve or obtain--or on the past--memories, regrets--that all too often we entirely miss the here-and-now. We slip into this pattern so habitually that most of the time we are barely even conscious of it.
 
The delight of exploring West Asheville today was a reminder that we have the power to make different choices. We can develop new habits. And we don't have to have a new marriage or baby or job or home or year to make a fresh start. Every morning--indeed, every moment--is an opportunity to begin anew.