So, in the process of winding down the year, our local primary school fills the final weeks of the term with a wide variety of activities to get small folk ( who let’s admit, are well and truly over the 11 week term), off their buts and outside.
One such day for our school is the annual sports day. Where around our oval you will see about 400 kids in a wide variety of basic colour get-up. With accessorised hair-spray and zinc.
My crew are in mercury. We’re red.
And not that good.
And while the weekly reading of the house points resembles numbers like an inflated asian currency, we’re usually the first house to be read out.
In fourth place with 6 million, 5 hundred and 23 thousand points is….
Mercury.
We acknowledge the superior speed of putting on shoes, or the numbers of baked goods for the fete, or the cleanliness of one’s room that garners points for one’s house. Graciously congratulating their efforts. and quite frankly, smalls don’t seem to phased.
Even though I sometimes wonder why.
Last wednesday, child number 1 was competing in the half oval run. From the footy goals ” to there but not back.”
“How did you go?” I ask.
“OK, well I stopped and helped C who fell down. She hit her funny bone and was crying. So I ran with her til the end.”
“Is she in Mercury?”
“No. Saturn.”
“Right.”
I was gobsmacked. And a little in awe.
Not just because my kid is the John Landy of BHPS. Not just because she sacrificed her place in the race to help a buddy. A buddy from another team. Extending her hand beyond the colour of her zinc or her buddy’s hair. And not because this child of mine has, and I feel always will be drawn to make this world a better place.
No.
It’s because she didn’t consider it anything special. Anything unusual. To stop moving forward. To in fact move backwards from her goal and pick up a little more before resuming her direction again.
It’s just what you do when someone has hit their funny bone. And are crying.
Think backbends, inversions and samana breath.
When we extend our hand to others, it’s not to be recognised. It’s not to be congratulated. There’s no award. No prize.
It’s simply a pure expression of heart.
We call this bhakti. It’s seeing the divine in everyone and everything. Seeing the light in everyone and everything.
Seeing yourself aligned in everyone and everything.
Have a peaceful holiday season. Being wholly and completely with those you love. Sharing time and heart with family, friends and all those you come into contact with.
You are so very blessed.
Happy solstice. Merry christmas.
And Mercury came third.
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