6.23.21 // to react vs. to respond.

It's been said that there is space between something happening in the world and the way we can proceed...
.
When something happens, it's like the world is asking us a question, how we reply is our answer and there are two very different paths that can be taken:
.
to react vs. to respond.
.
Throughout our days, we take endless actions, moving throughout space, and interacting endlessly. We make things happen and things happen to us.
.
But when things happen to us, we have a choice. A big one... do we react or do we respond?
.
We can react-- we can close off our minds and simply respond with natural instincts, raw emotions, feelings from our hurt or excitement or fears.
.
OR
.
We can respond- we can take the space between the action and breath into the moment, we can find our grounding, our stability, and think. We can choose our words and our tone and ask ourselves, "what do I want to put out in the world? Who do I want to be in this moment...?"
.
To me the choice is clear, but the action to chose to respond is challenging. When something happens to us and fight, flight, or freeze kicks in, choosing to respond is hard. Sometimes impossible.
.
But, I'm seeing the space between the question the world asks us and the answer we have to give. I'm learning to lean into silence, slow my words, and settle my quick-to-draw replies.
.
Responding has been and I imagine will continue to be one of the hardest practices I'm trying to incorporate into my life, but the value is unparalleled to see the impact on my friends, family, and my self- the value of the breath and the space between.