(English) Experiencing our own “daily life”

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What does “daily life” have to do with the Signs of the Times?  What does it have to do with God?  What does it have to do with who I am and what I do and want from life? What does it have to do with the reality that our country is experiencing at this moment in time?

If we just answer rapidly, we would say that “nothing”; that our “routine” or what we experience “day-by-day” is one thing, and that the rest of what we go through is something totally different. That was my first thought when I experienced the Itinerary of the “Signs of the Times – A shared listening of reality”. However, with each one of the itineraries (this one and others), I realize that “daily life” does have a lot to do with everything.

If someone asks you “How do you live your life?” what would you answer?  Maybe you would say that you get up at a certain time, you take a bath, brush your teeth, have some breakfast, maybe do your exercise routine and fly off to work; you may also share that you spend most of your day at work, and then return home, maybe have dinner, or maybe not, watch television or a movie, or maybe chat with your family and later go off to sleep.

I remember a “strange” or “extraordinary” week when I left my home and on the corner there was an office supply shop. As I walked to the corner I saw a taxi with its doors open and two people that were shoving large black bags into the back.  When I reached the shop, I saw that a woman, who was gagged and shackled, was asking for help.  She had just been robbed!  I saw the license plates on the taxi and I went to another store to ask for the phone to call the police.  After trying a few times, I could not reach the police, so I asked the storekeeper to keep trying.  That same week, I fell backwards on the train platform.  Also, a person in a wheelchair asked me if I could help to enter the train.

Why do I mention all this?  Because, as I already mentioned, I experienced these as isolated events outside of my regular routine. I experienced them as extraordinary things, strange as they were, but I did not see them as part of “daily life”. I have discovered since then that “daily life”, is what happens every day, but by experiencing this consciously I invest all that I am.  I ask myself repeatedly, how do I react to all this that happens “every day”?

When we become conscious of all that we do, when we ponder on each and every task, no matter how small, such as brushing teeth or waking up, that is when “daily life” becomes something awesome that does not cease to surprise.

I have also discovered that “daily life”, allows me to relate to others differently, with a positive attitude and much more conscious of myself, and others.  When I observe my daily life, I have been able to see myself and act from my own self.

In order to grow and embrace this “daily life”, we need to make it an exercise to repeat every day; one important consideration is to live in the present moment; if we become distracted by the future or by yearning the past, we become blinded to the experience of what unfolds in our day to day, we stop relating to others, we do not enjoy our environment, our surroundings. In other words, we cease to “BE”, in that moment in history, our history.

In our “daily life” we reflect what we truly are; our culture, our beliefs, our customs, our education and knowledge, as well as all that we have at our service and service to others.

Therefore, for me, “daily life”, is the “space and time”, the “here and now”, where I am able to unfold my whole Self, where I can develop my personhood, where little by little I can recognize and integrate my “parts”:  body, mind, soul, that make me Whole with all that surrounds me.

It is in “daily life”, where I am able to make an impact regarding my reality and the reality of others and whatever surrounds me, that whatever I do, or don’t do, in my day-to-day, including the decisions I make.  Because, the decisions I make each day, make up and build life… and these will have repercussions not only on myself, but in others and in everything else.

Bere Arevalo

 

For sharing:

  • What importance does “daily life” have in my life?
  • How do I link my daily life with faith and my service to MBW?
  • What questions or issues arise?

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