In Seven minutes

I arrived last Saturday just before 4 pm at the garage to collect the car that was given for servicing. I was asked to wait for five minutes. It turned out to be seven minutes.

In that seven minutes, I had a cat nap, received a telephone call, read and replied a mail, read the last lecture given by Prof. Renu Koshy, at the time of her retirement at CMC  Vellore and briefly watched the Nehru trophy boat race held at Alleppy.

It was after a long time, I decided to do audit of some of the seven minute periods during the transition times of the day. This was the first time, I did it on that day with the help of a clock that was opposite to me on the wall. 

    

I was surprised to discover how much can be done during transition times. There are several transition or in-between occasions during the day, which we allow to drift. We let it happen unconsciously.

One of the most useful ways to use such transition times is to stay in silence inwardly, if the environment is quiet. If we are in a setting of much activity and noise, it is worthwhile to use it to read, make notes of observations or make a list to remember. 

I have recently added one more thing to occupy me during such transition times- to remember Anna, Amy and Arpit and Aswathy and Anandit.     This has added even more quality to such transition times. 

I recalled that there were thirteen occasions of in-between times of three to seven minutes on that day. 

One of the advantages of taking charge of our in-between times is that it helps us to stay centred inwardly rather than being carried away by what one may hear, see or sense. Our thoughts carry us away from ourselves to distance. 

Yesterday, I was overtaken by a sense of hurry and ended up impulsively arguing with a waiter for no benefit. I was not in touch with myself volitionally.

One surrenders the inner peace when preoccupied with hurry. Returning to be centred inwardly during such in-between times is a good habit to stay connected with ourselves. When that happens, the external circumstances have less effect on us and and our choices and behavioural ways spring from a restful or peaceful interior.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)