Since Covid’s first spring, a group of women and I have been meeting for study, meditation and conversation. Last week, one of our members said something about wrapping up her day and how she tries to pay attention to how she does it.
I thought it was such a wonderful phrase: “wrapping up one’s day.” Do I have a practice of doing this? Not really. Before Martin and I say goodnight, we sometimes review the day. Or go over the next day’s plans. Some families go around the dinner table and offer up a rose and a thorn, ie something good and something less than stellar that happened during the day. But that’s not exactly the same as wrapping the day up, sifting through one’s day to review its entire contents. And then after the sifting there is the considering, the measuring, the assigning of gratitude and regret, perhaps remembering a close call or even a spirit-lifting surprise.
Do you have a ritual to wrap up your day? What is it? How did it come about? I’m thinking maybe I could wrap up my day while I am brushing my teeth, linking a new intention to a lifelong habit. I’ll let you know how it goes.
photo courtesy of Martin Darvick
I don’t always do this, but I try to think about my day with gratitude. Each happening is blessed. Just gratitude to know that I am here and able to do these things makes me happy. And I do believe it’s a good way to fall asleep and offer the possibility for good dreams. We are so lucky to be on this journey. Sometimes we don’t feel that way, but remembering this at night before closing our eyes, for me, is a lovely practice.
Yes, Laurie, yes. To go to bed with gratitude is so filling and a good good good
way to fall asleep.Thank you sharing this with all of us.
I wrap up my day with a series of stretches used to relax before a performance that I learned in a drama class I took in college . It is such a habit that I don’t need to count reps so I can concentrate on nothing. I find that the quiet in my brain does relax me and often helps me sleep. It doesn’t always work – sometimes my brain cannot quit and I end up staying awake till the wee hours reviewing, rehashing or relishing the days events.
What a great practice and to have had it from so long ago! We should have a gathering place for us all
when our 3 am minds do not quit!