Heartbeats Matter

Sometimes, when I’m lying still in a quiet room and all I can hear is my own heartbeat, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude. Gratitude, because in that moment I am reminded of how little control I have over something that’s so vital to me and I realize how very blessed I am. I mean, I don’t cause my own heart to beat, yet, I’m still here and I am extremely thankful to God for my life.

As I listen to it beat, I think about those I love, what I value, what I hope for and what I want my life to mean. In those hushed moments, I reflect on the things that really matter in life. It’s pretty amazing how superfluous things, like whether or not I’m on track to become a millionaire, have the perfect dream house, or if I'm in sync with the latest trends, seem to fade in importance. Things like the well-being of my loved ones, meaningful relationships, and a sense of self-respect, tend to take their place.

To hear one’s own heartbeat can be a stark reminder of how fragile life truly is and it has the propensity to motivate us towards what’s best in life. As my heart and mind connect in those still moments, it becomes subtly obvious that we are beings on a journey with others as we seek out happiness, purpose, and meaning. In that search, we work, love, and care for others, especially for those we call our own.

Yet, sometimes, we fail in that search. We drop the ball on loving and caring. When we forget to love and care for our not so distant other, the happiness, purpose, and meaning we seek is diminished. We drop the ball when we forget that we all need each other, when we forget that the best of our hopes, purpose, and meaning happens when we truly value, respect, and care for every human being around us.

We’re living in unprecedented times in which lines are being drawn more starkly in the sand than ever before. Divisiveness and unattended pain, deep pain, are tearing at the very fibers of our existence. It’s time. It's time that we all go into that quiet place within ourselves and listen— listen for the heartbeat of others. It’s time that we listen to hear the values, hopes, and needs, not only of ourselves, but of those around us and to listen with an empathy that compels us to care. It’s time to make this world a kinder, gentler place to be. It is time that we take the time to consider the things that really matter, not just for ourselves, but for all of humanity.

With that, I introduce to you my blog, “Thought Pauses,” a space in which I’ll be reflecting on things that really matter in a way that, I hope, will help us reconnect to ourselves, others, and the Divine. Welcome. I'm looking forward to this journey with you.