Being Present

I recently noticed a book on our bookshelf that was gathering dust called How to Train a Wild Elephant & Other Adventures in Mindfulness.  I started reading through the introduction chapter which describes that most people are not really present in their everyday lives.  They are constantly thinking about the future, past, or in a fantasy and not experiencing what is actually happening around them. People are so worried about whats happening next, or what if, and it's a total waste of our time and energy. 

Photo via Goodreads.com

"Unfortunately the mind, in its anxiety for us, tries to make plans for a huge number of possible futures, most of which will never arrive.  This constant leapfrogging into the future is a waste of our mental and emotional energy.  The most important way we can prepare for the unknown-to-come is to make a reasonable plan and then to pay attention to what is happening right now.  Then we can greet what flows toward us with a clear, flexible mind and open heart, ready and able to modify our plan according to the reality of the moment"

"Mindfulness practice reminds us not to fritter our mental energy away in trips to past and future, but to keep returning to this very place, to rest in what is happening in this very time"

Although I don't think I am a negative person, I did benefit from making an effort into being more present this week.  For example, this week I had a lot of meetings and work to catch up on.  Usually this would stress me out, but by reminding myself to be in the moment and not to think of what could possibly happen at the meetings, if they would go well or not, helped me not to stress out about them.  I just prepared for them as well as I could and didn't worry about it. 

The book goes into specific tasks one can practice in order to be more mindful.  I don't plan on trying all of them (there are over 50 different tasks) but I love the concept of being fully present to enjoy and experience everything life has to offer.

Book Club - The Paris Wife

Some friends and I started a Book Club in January, and our first book was The Paris Wife by Paula McLain.  We all gave suggestions for possible books and took a poll online to pick the winning book.  I voted for this book because someone had recommended it to me, and it seemed to be a very popular book since I keep seeing it everywhere.  Some of the members of the book club met this past Monday to have dinner, drink wine, and discuss the book.  We went to Busboys & Poets in DC and I had a lot of fun.  Busboys & Poets is a perfect place to have a book club meeting because it's a laid back, casual restaurant/lounge.  It was interesting that only one person at book club actually had the physical book, the rest of us read it on our Kindles!  I'm so glad we started a book club because it's a great way to meet new friends and stay current with reading.  It's also nice to have people to discuss books with, especially when you just finish and have a lot to talk about!

I don't know what I was expecting from The Paris Wife exactly, but I didn't love it.  It was OK.  It took me about three weeks to get through it, which is a long time for me.  I guess I couldn't really get into it.  I did enjoy the story and felt as if the author took me along to Paris with Earnest and Hadley. However, I just felt that there were too many unnecessary details. I felt like the author was more concerned about all the little details here and there rather than the big picture. Also, everything was all about Earnest, which I expected.  But I was looking forward to hearing Hadley’s opinion and voice, which I felt she was lacking until the very end of the book. Maybe that’s how things were in the 1920s but I was looking for a stronger female character out of Hadley. 

I wish the story could have flowed better, as opposed to skipping weeks here and there based on what Earnest was doing or accomplishing. Earnest was just young and in love and they definitely rushed into the marriage, so I wasn’t surprised when it ended. They never built that foundation that is so important for a lasting relationship. I felt like the italicized chapters in Earnest’s point of view were important for me to see things from his perspective, but I felt that it was disproportionate to Hadley’s chapters, and seemed more like an afterthought. 

Overall, I enjoyed the book and learned a lot about Earnest Hemingway and that time period. But, I did get very frustrated with Hadley’s weak personality and couldn’t understand her most of the time

Next month's book is The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, which I have already read and loved.  I'll consider this a month off from book club but I will skim the book to refresh my memory.  It is such a sweet book and I absolutely LOVE Enzo the dog and this was one of a few books that have actually made me cry.  It's going to make for a great discussion!