Having a Diary.

I can remember the days when the most important app on my phone was the diary. I used it for meetings, days I was due to be sitting in court, marathons I had signed up to run and many other such like events.

I retired and life began to slow down. My art began to play a more important part in my life and I did not need a diary for that. Most of the things I had to attend to I could easily store in my head. Then the old me began to take over again and I had this to do, that to attend to and my wife began to tell me to get things in my diary. Not only that she also wanted me to let her know when I was due to be somewhere when she might need to use the car and such conflicts.

I was back in the busy zone and the older one gets the more complicated life can become. It is fine saying you will be somewhere and do something remembering to do so get s more difficult. 

All of a sudden each day is again filled with activity. I am not alone in this. We rush around from one thing to the next. We make arrangement for the future. These things take on an importance, but they are not all that there is to life. How easy it is to forget this.

We should not allow these things to divorce us from the other things that hold a place of importance in our lives like those around us.

It is dangerous to allow our days to be dictated to by a diary. It is imperative to withdraw and reflect upon the events of the day and collect ourselves for the continuation of our path.

This withdrawal does not need to be in a sacred place or time or require elaborate ritual. All we need is a simple turning within. As the sage says, "Take time to return within to the inner self." Time to stop and take stock and renew oneself ready for the flow of life. There is a place for activity but not at the expense of equilibrium. 

Yes, I will make a note in the diary but never again will the diary be permitted to take a hold of me. 

Go with the flow but withdraw to oneself. I thank my good friend Maxim Maw for his little nudge and a reminder of this truthful fact.

Have a marvellous day.