Tonight in our 12-step study group we talked about the tool of “keeping an open mind”.

Always a good thing for me to consider and contemplate because I can forget that there are some things that I don’t have an open mind about and there are some situations that are very difficult for me to have an open mind about.

This morning in ourstudy group we talked about how we, the North American “we”, are always striving, striving, looking forward to the next thing and the next thing after that and still the next thing after that which will make our lives finally perfect. Really? Really? Has anyone felt like they’ve arrived yet? And if you have, what does that feel like and why and how the heck did you get there?

It kind of made me a little depressed to think about not having something to look forward to but I know that is part of my illusionary thinking (that I must always be in a state of looking forward).

Then in my American Literature class today we discussed Arthur Miller’s play, “Death of a Salesman” which is such an intense play but such a good one. We also watched some scenes with ole Dusty Hoffman playing Willing and John Malcovich as his son Biff. Again, very painful to watch but such excellent acting. It was painful to watch because of seeing how Willy had spent his whole life living out somebody else’s dreams and then had put those same restrictions on his son which ended up failing him in the end.

So, I want to have an open mind about how my life is today. As I drove home from the meeting tonight you could barely see the last vestiges of the sun on the horizon in that gorgeous dark cornflower blue color that the Texas sky takes on at night. Something said, “Lynn take notice of this sky and enjoy the night and when you get home, love that husband of yours”.

My prayer tonight is for my Higher Power to help me to keep an open mind about how I see life and to enjoy what the “is” about my life now. It never ceases to take my breath away when someone that I love dies because I’m reminded that all of their hopes and dreams went with them too. I’m not saying it is not a good thing to hope and dream, I’m just saying to remember to look around at your life right now as it is and find what is sublime today.