If you think about it, most of our adult life is filled with ordinary everyday moments....moments when we wake up and get dressed, make breakfast, drink coffee, go to work, sit in traffic, go grocery shopping, wash dishes, do laundry, pay bills, fold our clothes, send our kids to school, finish homework, sleep, eat....the list is endless. And wherever you are, doesn't matter which country you live in, whatever your life situation is, there is no escape from these everyday ordinary moments. And in between these ordinary moments we try to squeeze in as much time for play, to socialize, spend time with family, meet friends, pursue our hobbies and have fun. These past few months of technically not "doing" a lot of these ordinary everyday things but observing them all around me has made me ask myself - what if we could turn these ordinary everyday moments into something extraordinary? How amazing would that be! Sounds impossible, doesn't it? But come to think of it, it's not as difficult as it seems. We just get so bogged down by our everyday moments that they stop being extraordinary! We try to fit in too many things in our schedule because we feel that doing these simple and ordinary things is not enough....there is more to us that just doing chores! And I agree....we all have a purpose, a passion that we should live for. But that doesn't mean we cannot take pleasure in the simple everyday moments, right? What if next time we are doing dishes, we give ourself completely to that act. What if we don't think about our to do list or how we hate doing dishes and instead just immerse ourselves fully....witnessing the water cleaning that grease off, the soap bubbles on our hands, the fragrance of dishwashing soap. What if next time we go grocery shopping we don't rush thru the aisles and instead spend time in the fresh food section - picking each vegetable, feeling its texture and thinking how it will nourish us. Or when we clean our room the next time, we watch every movement of our vacuum cleaner. Or instead of gulping down our first cup of coffee because we are running late, we wake up five minutes early to sit down and savor each sip. What if we bring MINDFULNESS and ATTENTIVENESS in each and every action - no matter how small or insignificant it seems. Giving ourselves completely to every moment is what brings pleasure into each and every act...and once we pay full attention to every moment, no longer it is an ordinary everyday moment! And once our every moment is extraordinary....well, so is our life - SIMPLE and EXTRAORDINARY :o)
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I never get tired of looking at the sky....be it sunrise, sunset, starry night or clear blue sky. It is breathtaking to watch the sky change it's colors....from blue to pink, purple and shades of yellow. I feel like a child when clouds cover the sky and I see animals, birds, dragons and unicorns in those clouds. And the most amazing thing is that no matter where I am, it is always the same sky, the one and only sky. And watching the sunset and sunrise is like a tonic to my soul. The rays of sun brighten up my day and fill my heart with joy. I read this quote somewhere and it just touched my soul.... Even after all this time The Sun never says to the Earth, "You owe me." Look what happens with a love like that.... It lights the whole sky.” I read it and thought to myself....what will the world be like if we all loved like that? When we rise beyond expectations or needs or wants, when we love because we can and because we want to. Won't it light up our heart and spirit like the sun lights up the whole sky? I am eagerly waiting for that day.... Yes we are obsessed with hiking. Can't get enough of it. Mountains, hills, trees call out for us and it's hard to say no. While in Vang Vieng we decided to go for a day hike called Secret Eden Hike - 12km climbing up and down the hills. This was the hardest hike in Vang Vieng and it did live up to the expectations! What else can I say....will let the pictures do the talking :o) If you want to entice your senses....street market of Luang Prabang is the place to be. Hundreds of kiosks fill the street every day in the evening. Beautiful handicrafts, sculptures, jewelry, scarves and bags are organized on the ground creating artwork of their own. You can just walk around for hours appreciating the intricate details with which the sculptures are carved and the bags are sown. And if you get tired of walking and shopping, you can hit the food street! One thing we loved about SouthEast Asia is eating is a ritual for the locals. Every bite is savored. They definitely know the art of cooking and eating! |
Surendar & Loveleen are in love with the simplicity of LaosArchivesCategories |