What layer do you live in?

One moment you're singing to the song inside your head washing the dishes, the next moment, your daughter walks in the room really upset and is blaming you for tripping over the box you had by the door ready to go to Goodwill.
You could react defending yourself slipping easily into the victim role with her as the aggressor.  You could be the observer, seeing her where she is and go back to your task and the song in your head.  You could respond inspired to offer her the listening ear or nurturing she is really asking for, (disregarding their attack on you) asking if she is OK and what's going on that she is having such a difficult moment.

As I continue my almost daily meditation practice, I am becoming more and more clear and aware of the different layers of myself.  There is the layer that experiences the world around me. This can be followed up by either an emotional response or a detached observation.  The emotional layer of me reacts to the world around me with an emotional response.  This is very human and natural. The detached observation is a pain-free response, but doesn't allow for the fullness of human expression. I'm wanting to live more in the layer in between. To live in the layer that responds to the world around me with inspired action (which may be full of emotion), but then to let that go as soon as I can holding no grudges or need for punishments, with a forgiving heart for myself and others.  That way I can return to my center and continue living an inspired life.

You can either react or respond.  What you do after that seems to be even the greater choice; do you hold on to it, or let it go.  Do you let the happenings of your life decide how you will feel 1 day from now or 5 years from now, or do you choose to clear your traumas soon after they happen so you can live a happier, freer, healthier life? What layer will you choose to live in?

Here's to living -