Demanding “purity” of our metaphysical beliefs can create beautiful abstract systems of philosophy. But these sterile analyses have little relation to the messiness of life. The best philosophers have, at one time or another, looked to poetry and metaphor to paint a picture of reality. We must accept that analysis can never give us a complete picture of the world. So put down the pen and paper, sit on the porch, rock awhile, drink some lemonade, and listen to the birds in the trees.

Try this meditation for one minute today, or longer if you wish:

LET GO OF THE NEED for a perfect solution and think more about what helps you. How can you incorporate that into your day tomorrow?

There does not have to be a single basic stuff. Materialism and idealism are not the names of warring tribes but the names of half-truths, neither of which can really be swelled into a comprehensive system.
—Mary Midgley, British philosopher

How did this meditation go for you? Share your experience with your fellow North Shore Bank employees at shorelines@northshorebank.com and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Mindfulness in Plain English, by Bhante Gunaratana.

If you’d like a daily email reminder to practice one minute of mindfulness, email us with the subject “Mindfulness reminder.”