5 minutes

What to do in the times of trouble? When everything looks like falling apart. Certainly everyone has to face this question now or then at certain point in life. Job losses, the worries about the family members, relationship troubles, money issues and bankruptcy, marriage breakdowns and so on… This question is so common and in my modest opinion completely underestimated. Even when we are facing the simultaneous crossfire of the misfortunate series of the events the main thing to keep in mind should be awareness of the fact that anxiety or self-destructive behavior would not contribute a bit to the solution of the problem. Sounds familiar? But it’s never enough to repeat it. In my case now when my son is going to face an open heart surgery, regarding the given circumstance I would probably have one thousand and one excuses for such deeds. Is everything going to be all right? How will he recover and how much time it will take? One thing is sure – his surgery is going to be difficult and complex. I am sure that I am not the only parent that has to face such a thing, but... It’s not easy. My son is very strong and together we are going to make it through this.

To detach myself from unfailing worries I find it enormously helpful and revealing just to practice 5 or 10 minutes of meditation. I am not a meditation expert, and I am not trying to promote such practices in relation with any religion or structure of beliefs. At the times when my head becomes overfilled with the questions that I do not have an answer for I just sit, on the sofa, on the bed or anywhere convenient, just sit. And that’s all. In this 5 to 10 minutes process I am not trying to reach nirvana or enlightenment - only to refocus. This word is maybe crucial – refocusing. What are we doing when we are lost in a heavy storm of preoccupations? When we are reaching for another glass or for another hot dog although we have just finished one? Simply, and obviously – we are losing focus. When situation like this tends to prevail I find it revealing just to sit for 5 or 10 minutes and listen to the chaos in my head. And by finding the way to hear it I could finally make it quieter. I could make its unpleasant rumble less harmful only by becoming aware of it. I am not trying here to establish a new religion or to claim myself legitimate for prophecy. Only to emphasize what I have found useful in my case. Great writer Jorge Luis Borges once said that all that one man must go through the all people have to as well. “Everything has been figured out, except how to live.” - Jean-Paul Sartre said. Whatever strife is being given to us that doesn’t mean that somebody was not there before and already tasted the very same fishbone that is in our throat now.