Right here, right now

Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t). ---James Baraz

I had planned my Clear Lake/Galveston Island get-away six weeks ago, pre-Hurricane Ike. I was going to use my floating holiday on Thursday, adding an extra day off to my scheduled three-day weekend. I'd also made a reservation for Grace and Zoey at the vet kennel.

I would head to friend Kay’s house in the Clear Lake area Thursday afternoon. That evening we’d attend a wine-and-cheese party for the local Democratic candidates. We’d spend Friday on Galveston Island, wandering through the shops on the Strand and dining at one of the restaurants on Seawall Boulevard. Saturday would include a jazz concert at the Unitarian church, where I've attended services with Kay on many Sundays.

I was SO ready to savor my mini-vacation, but I knew two weeks ago that it wouldn't be happening thanks to that bad boy Ike.

Kay’s home wasn't damaged by the storm, but she had evacuated to Dallas and wisely chose to stay there until her power is restored. The events we’d planned to attend were cancelled, of course, and it’s going to be a while before Galveston is once again visitor-ready.

I needed something(s) to do instead...I needed Plan B...

First, I decided to save my floating holiday for another time, so I worked on Thursday. I also offered to work on Sunday, which left me with Friday and Saturday off. I didn’t have to deal with storm-related damage, I hadn’t lost any income as a result of Ike, I didn't have to fight massive traffic jams to get where I needed to go, and my power was on. Better to focus on the (many, many!) being-good-to-me things I could do than wallow in regret. Yes, having to change my plans was disappointing, but compared to the losses so many people in the Houston/Galveston area have suffered as a result of Ike, postponing a fun weekend was nothing.


My job involves constant social interaction, and I love it. Apparently I’m not a loner, after all, but I usually find a good book more relaxing than a television show after a busy day. Not so Thursday night – I’d worked 11 days, and I was beyond tired. I wanted to savor something that required nothing more of me than my somewhat spacy presence. Looking at the TV listings, I saw a triple-header of True Blood about to begin on HBO. The first three episodes of the new series were scheduled back-to-back. I hadn't really considered watching the show when it debuted a few weeks ago. I’m not into vampires. In fact, I much prefer werewolves, the ones featured in Kelly Armstrong’s Bitten series. I thought I’d watch maybe one episode of True Blood, if that, and make an early night of it. Instead, I watched all three episodes, and now I'm hooked. Sunday night I'll be savoring the next episode of this quirky show.

I really enjoy reading the Houston Chronicle first thing in the morning, but I haven't had time to savor the daily paper the past couple of weeks. Friday morning I finally had a chance to catch up on the odd assortment of pages I'd been saving to read, not skim, including the editorials.

Needing to replenish my pantry, refrigerator and freezer, I also spent a couple of hours wandering the aisles of two of my neighborhood grocery stores. I found lots of bargains – fresh strawberries, Gala apples, Blue Bell (sugar-free!) chocolate ice cream, pork tenderloin, a huge fresh-not-frozen organic chicken. I also splurged on two kinds of fresh tomatoes, a loaf of bakery bread and the really-good-stuff ranch dressing I’m usually (but won’t be anymore!) too frugal to buy.

One thing I’d realized, as I cleaned out my refrigerator after the storm - I didn’t mind tossing all the “less expensive” stuff I’d bought but hadn’t used. So why was I buying it? In fact, buying a few “really good” things yesterday, things I knew I’d savor, cost me less than I'd thought it would. Talk about a “really good” lesson to learn...

Friday night I watched the presidential debate and Bill Mahr. I won't talk politics here, but I'm thinking that my invite to the wine-and-cheese party mentioned above and my appreciation of Bill Mahr's viewpoint have given you a good idea of how I'll be voting in November.

On my to-be-savored list for the remainder of the weekend: a little writing (almost finished!); the October issues of O Magazine and Body+Soul Magazine; DVDs of the BBC’s Love in a Cold Climate and Jekyll; Marisa de los Santos’s new novel, Belong to Me, and Kathy Freston’s Quantum Wellness; another episode of True Blood; a little cooking; and a long walk with Gracie.

I would have loved to have spent the past few days with friend Kay. We always have so much fun together, and I know we will again sometime soon.

But right here, right now, I’ve begun to feel that maybe what I needed most was exactly what I’ve had – a little time on my own to decompress, a little time to sample something new (True Blood!), and a little time to savor - really savor - some of the simple pleasures I'd been missing lately.