Earlier this year I read this great, hilarious, insightful article about raising kids, and while it scared the ever-living crap out of me (I have found that if I ever get dreamy-eyed about having a child, all I need to do is read articles about raising said child, and it's pretty much the best birth control ever), I also came across a concept in the article where I was like, YES. I am going to use that as my manifesto for 2012! And it wasn't about doing more crunches (which I totally don't need to do for like, another three weeks! Thanks Stomach Flu diet! You're the BEST!) or getting up earlier (which I actually DO need to do) but it was about elevating thought, and therefore moments, in my life.
The author called it the difference between chronos time (time that moves forward in a sequential, linear way) and kairos time. Kairos time is what we experience in heightened, measured moments, moments when we fully take in all the gorgeousness that surrounds us, when perspective shifts and we see the long stretch of how damn lucky we are to be alive smeared over days and days of beauty, it's when time stops and we see things in slow motion and we are able to fill it like a balloon with gratitude, and it's when we take the full, deep breaths, step outside the box of chronos time, and gaze at all we have to offer.
That's Kairos time.
And this year? 2012? I'm working on filling my life with as many kairos moments as I can. That's all. It's simple. It's not advanced science, it's not pushing myself harder to DO MORE BE MORE, it's the allowing of grace, in all its forms, to inform me in as many daily moments as I can that life is so, so, so incredibly good.
Come to think of it... this blogger already does that (and she has two beautiful children) quite brilliantly. Go have a read and treat yourself.
It's gonna be a good year. I can feel it.
A Terrific Day at Sea
2 months ago
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19 comments:
I like this outlook!
tracy, if you look over your shoulder i hope you'll see me grinning and waving. you've nailed the description of who said, stream of consciousness (i think it was virginia woolfe?). i am comfortably in this zone when i see clients, not so much when i am with me myself. but you've laid out the map and here i am. thanks.
as for your 2012, i confidently assure you that you are totally right and totally deserving. yay!
love
kj
I had a Kairo moment today, at work, which is rare for me. A guy stopped me in the hallway, called me by name (I hardly know him), shook my hand, and said, Man! I heard about your book! That's awesome! Congratulations! He shook my hand again and proceeded to tell me all about something I didn't really understand, but it was sort of like writing, I guess.
I had a fan! I seem to be having more and more of them lately, and it's fun! I enjoy those moments.
And with my kids, I had an entire Kairo night with them a few weeks ago. We camped under the full moon, just us and our bags next to a fire, beside the lake, at the park when nobody in their right mind would be out there. It was wonderful, truly.
Then I realize they're failing classes. I get bad news at work. I get a major round of ~suck~ and it keeps going on and on. Now I find out I owe taxes, which I knew I would, but it sucks because you secretly hope you won't owe. Buy I knew I would. Crap.
But yeah, I get it, and it's a great outlook to hope you can can slow down the good times and revel in them, while you spin through the rough times.
I'm sure 2012 will rock. It better. It's the end of the world, you know.
- Eric
"it's when time stops and we see things in slow motion and we are able to fill it like a balloon with gratitude"
I'm out of the loop on that one. The only occasion that I remember that made time slow down dramatically (at least the only one I can remember at the moment) was one time when I was in the back of car that was hit while turning at an intersection. I saw the car that hit us as if it were in slow motion. When I feel gratitude, it's usually when I'm aware of the brevity of life. 80 years out of eternity doesn't seem like much.
Fill your Life with as many wonderful moments of any kind that you can... and then... maybe at the end of your Life, you can feel fullfilled...
So many people don't...
~shoes~
A great way to start the year. A good way to deal with life. Thanks.
I have come to believe more in this concept too. I of course put it in another and less articulate manor though.
I'm so happy for you, Phoenix, sweet friend. Much love & happiness is your karma. Truly.
xoxo,
Marion
"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called." ~A.A. Milne
Simply Amazing!!! I'm going to adopt your manifesto too!!! I was so pissed this morning driving to work stuck in traffic but if I had really taken the time to appreciate the moment I doubt I would have cared that I had a few extra minutes of quiet alone time to enjoy.
P.S. If you ever need birth control I'll send my kid to you for a week. End of problem. :)
HAHA! I have three kids and while it can be challenging it is very gratifying. Best book on the subject-- Between Parent and Child.
You gonna be famous, baby!
three cheers for kairos time! we all need more of that! myself included! ;)
This post is a WIN!
i feel like i fail so much of the time in trying to be good enough. so i write down snippets of things because it forces me to stop, breathe, remember, feel. i'm so grateful for our little renewed friendship here on the interwebs. you bring such a sense of balance to my life. speaking of kairos, i have a vivid moment stretched out in my memory. your birthday. the park. sitting on a blanket, it was the perfect temperature outside and you were smiling. and i hadn't seen you in person in years but it was so simple, just like an afternoon should be. and i chased my daughter around the tree and we ate cupcakes and your friends laughed so much that you glowed.
kairos.
Krista - God, YES. See? Even your comments on blogs are beautiful! And you are enough, and so very, very good at it. I hope you fill your kairos moments with knowing what an amazing and important job you are doing by loving your little ones into people.
Life is definately good! Kids are definately scarey!
i love that! what a wonderful way to peacefully improve the quality of life.
xox
Interesting. Never heard of kairos time before, but it sure is something we should all be aware of and take time for. I try to and succeed most of the time, then mundane life get in the way.
I am hoping right along with you that 2012 will be a great year!!
What a great concept. I love it. :)
Go, go, go! I love your attitude. If you can bottle that, I'd buy it. :)
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