Meditation, prayer, and keeping the world turning

My daughter told me the other day that she has started meditating every evening. It seems that she has greatly benefited from this experience. My first thought was, “How does she have time?” She has two children aged three and eight.

She has a modern husband who helps a lot. But even with the help, I’m not sure I would be able to do that. After they get them fed, bathed, read-to and snuggled, and tucked into bed, they’ve still got to clear away the detritus (read that deathtraps) which clutter the floor, the stairs, and the couch. They’ve got to clear up the dinner mess… whether it be the takeout cartons or the pans and dishes from their cook-at-home meal. They’ve got to do a little laundry because those two kids have been growing so fast I’m pretty sure they have lots of clothes but only two outfits which they want to wear.

Of course, my daughter and her husband work jobs which re quire some at-home management. This may be squeezed in between loads of laundry and personal time in the bathroom, but it is a necessity. Emails must be checked, backpacks loaded, lunches prepped, and “lovies” retrieved from the downstairs and carried upstairs to waiting arms.

I’m not there very often, I’m afraid, but I know this has to be done to keep a house moving. My other daughter has two of her own: teenagers who require transportation, homework help, and occasional food and psychological support. She and her husband have two other teens who join them regularly, making a total of four daughters between the age of fourteen and seventeen. Lord, help them. That daughter did not mention meditation, but I’m pretty sure she spends a few minutes every night in serious prayer.

So it all comes down to finding time for meditation. I don’t seem to be able to find time. However, I spent forty-five minutes this morning checking Facebook. Granted, I was looking over some very fine recipes. Chicken in Crescent Rolls looked particularly good. I also enjoyed a couple of videos of people with whom I could empathize. There was that realtor who somehow fell while showing a backyard to a prospective client. Her dress blew up over her head and the client and the gardening neighbor both got visions they will never forget. There were a few other videos which included funny children and precious dogs. My friend sent me several funny cartoons. If I’d taken fifteen minutes out to meditate, I would have missed that cute dog sleeping in the baby’s bed.

I asked my daughter what she does while she’s meditating: fold fitted sheets? straighten out the sock drawer? clean the filter in the dryer?… None of those, she said. She just zones out for fifteen minutes… thinking of nothing. This is not my child!

I am envious of her. With all she must do, to find a few minutes to clear her mind is a wonderment. Maybe that’s the reason she gets it all done. Maybe that’s the reason, her kids are happy and well fed. Maybe that’s the reason my house is a mess, my closet is full of un-ironed clothes, and my refrigerator is full of leftovers which will never see the light of the microwave.

I am retired, have no children at home, enough money to eat out when I want, and enough time to check on everyone’s prom pictures, my grandkids’ trips to the park, and recipes which will never be tried. Maybe if I would take a few minutes to meditate… on nothing… I could turn off my thoughts at night and be ready to tackle Facebook tomorrow.