I was at a summer picnic a few years ago where we all were trying to make our way to the beach. Between house #1 and the beach included a few pit stops. We ventured to house #2 and I noticed that one of our friends had yet to leave #1. I stuck my head out of the patio and noticed our friend finally stepping off the porch of #1. I was about 3 seconds from yelling “hey hurry up” when the most beautiful thing happened. Our friend spotted a rose bush, threw his hands up in awe, and bent down to literally stop and smell the roses. I immediately closed my mouth and decided that yelling at him to hurry up was not only rude and self-serving, but it would have disrupted his moment to align with himself and nature.
When I think of our culture and the hustle mentality, I’m not just thinking about working 40+ hours a week, responding to emails at bedtime, and not taking vacation. I have no judgement for those who financially have to do this. For many, it is a privilege to work a salaried job and not have to worry about how to divvy up paycheck. What I’m focusing on is the mentality that we must be on the go…always. If we hustle, we (in theory) accomplish “more.” But do we? If we’re constantly hustling, when do we align?
Alignment for me is a form of rest. It’s a way to balance our mind, body, and spirit in a way that hustling can’t provide. Why rest when there’s so much to do?! If we’re constantly looking at the next thing to do, we lose what is in the present moment. We ignore what our mind, body, and spirit may need to feel grounded and centered.
If my friend rushed from house #1 to house #2 (like I did), he wouldn’t have been able to delight in one of natures most beautiful gifts. Maybe in that moment he was aware that he needed to feed a part of himself that he neglected all day. Maybe nature is what aligns him the most. Come to think of it, it must be since he snowboards, bikes, surfs, and hikes.
Whenever I feel that I have tipped my scale away from alignment and towards the hustle, I gently remind myself of my friend and the roses. Not only does this memory make me smile, but it provides space for me to find a mindful activity to re-center, re-ground, and re-group. To align.
