Small Challenges

I love the warmth
and consistency
of the simple comforts
of my life,
the predictability
of my daily routines.
How they soothe
my anxious mind
and feed my soul.

But I also understand
that dwelling here
for too long
makes me feel unsettled,
as if I need to stretch beyond.

And so,
small challenges.

I don’t need to
parachute from helicopters
or zip line through
the rainforest.
I am not trying to prove
how brave I am.

It is more about
immersing myself,
pushing through
my own resistance,
fostering connections.

At the deepest level,
it is about seeking
the balance
that opens my spirit
to the divine.
There are so many ways
to do that.

And there are so many ways
to be in this world.
I am still,
after all these years,
just trying to find
my own way.

By Maria Brady-Smith
Photo by Mike Smith