Brrrrrrrr its still pretty chilly here in Sydney! I often think about the men women and children on the streets who might be a bit warmer bundled up in our knitting. Even on the coldest days here it certainly gives me a bit of a warm glow to know we gave away such a good load this year!

I am writing to you today because i wanted to share an special moment i had this week at my knitting for the needy group.

One of the many benefits of doing this kind of volunteer work is that in this fast paced crazy world I get time out for 2 hours every week to slow down and have rich and meaningful conversations with my elders. It is a rare thing in this world, for someone my age to take regular time out each week just to listen to elder wisdom and i can’t begin to tell you how it has changed my life.

At first i used to talk more than i used to listen – I think because i was uncomfortable in the silence. My young mind was moving a million miles an hour. Many older people are much better at simply dwelling in the present moment. They have a contentedness and peace that so many younger people could learn from. I do believe if the separation in our society between the elders and the youth wasn’t so great we would have more happy and peaceful communities.

Anyway, so this week we had a guest in our knitting group. Her name is Lorraine Grant (I call her Rainy). Rainy can’t actually knit but she felt like coming out of her room for a chat so she joined our table while we all had a cuppa and a knit. I have know Rainy for years. I often visit her in her room on my way home after knitting group. She is a wise and patient soul and she has taught me alot since I have known her.

This week she taught me about contentment and true unshakable happiness.

During our chat one of our knitting ladies began to complain about how she was really sick of being at the nursing home. She had been there longer than most and was going through a period of depression. She seemed frustrated and disillusioned this morning. She had been having some health issues and it was all really getting her down. She had a look of defeat and sorrow about her as she spoke.

As she was talking she suddenly looked at Rainy and stopped mid sentence “She’s been here even longer”. It suddenly dawned on her that Rainy must be in a terrible state after all this time. Not only had Rainy been there longer but she also was pretty much bed ridden and spent most of her days alone in her room. She has a very painful arthritis that can flare up so severely that sometimes when i go to visit her she kindly says she can’t talk because she is in to much pain.

I asked Rainy “How long have you been here?” and she slowly and serenely answered “I don’t really experience time in the way most people do so I don’t really worry about that”.

When i asked her what she meant she told me that she didn’t think much of the past or worry about the future. She tried to always just be here and now and then she was happy. All she was concerned with right now was her nice cup of tea and enjoying our company and thats all that mattered.

She went on to explain, with the sweetest smile, that she never really got sad or frustrated by her situation. My body may have a problem but i don’t have to make it a problem. I am not worried about death because thats in the future. I am not depressed about my situation because that is the story of my past. Right now i am just sitting here having a nice cup of tea with you.

What an incredible embodiment of true contentment and happiness!

Rainy reminds me that happiness is not in things it is in us. She reminds me that it is my own state of mind that determines how i feel not the external state of my life, and i can take responsibility for my state of being at any time. This is so empowering.

The wonderful and Wise 'Rainy'

She also reminds me that life is here and now in this present moment. We all get so caught up in our minds thinking about the past, worrying about the future, trying to become something or get something – when the incredible miracle of life is in our midst here and now. This is what i learnt this week from my lovely friend Rainy. To always stop and smell the roses. To be grateful and to delight in the simple things in life (aren’t they often the best?!) and to live my life as much as possible in the delicious vibrant beauty of the present moment.

Thanks Rainy!