When Fun Leaves You Empty

Try One Calm Thing Today

Ram Dass wrote,

“The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” (Ram Dass, Words of Wisdom)

A few weeks ago, I had one of those great Saturdays.

Friends. Wonderful meal. Lots of laughs.

But the next morning I had a surprising feeling.

No one else was awake. Nothing was happening.

And I felt quietly, unmistakably glad!

Those ten minutes fed me more than the whole night before.

Not more fun. But more nourishing.

We treat the big feelings as the important ones.

The trips. The parties. The news we cannot wait to share.

But the subtle feelings feed us.

The powerful ones mostly impress us.

The countdown. The ping. The package on its way!

And still, the vacation ends.

The party leaves a boring drive home.

The thing you wanted feels common by Tuesday.

Then comes the private question:

I have a good life. Why does it sometimes feel like so little?

And beneath it:

Maybe something in me no longer works.