Being with you gets me that way

I ask myself what I am thinking and how those thoughts are making me feel right now. The thoughts that came crashing in and disturbed my mind over the past few days have started to let up. 

Before that, there was frustration and exhaustion with people. People living in ways that somehow manage to get under my skin. 

Then I come back.

I come back to the fact that there is nothing I can do about other people or the world. I cannot pretend that I do not care, because the reason it gets to me in the first place is that I care too much.

Maybe I need to go back to the way I used to move through the world, starting with my breath.

I remind myself:

Do not react too quickly when a feeling comes.

Do not be afraid of what comes up, and do not run from it.

Do not lose touch with my breath.

Because the moment fear takes over, I start pulling away from myself.

And for now, I listen to the rhythm of my breath.

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