“Chicken soup for the soul: time for me”
Story: “Adventure in meditation”
Compiled by: Amy Newmark
Publisher: Chicken Soup for the Soul, 2021
Available: bookstores and online
People who live in cities often dream of moving to the quiet of the country. You should check it out first.
A brief introduction to the reality of rural life is a brief, amusing read in the recently published series “Chicken Soup for the Soul” entitled “Making Me Time”.
In the “Personal Space” chapter, Phyllis Abate Wild describes her frustrations when she tried to settle into a piece called “Adventure in Meditation” for a quiet period of meditation. Wild’s house is 10 acres in El Dorado County – no police sirens, no ambulances, no garbage trucks picking up in the neighborhood. Perfect for a small self-renewal. But no.
Your distractions and efforts to overcome them are so relatable whether you live on a farm or in an apartment. Yes, distractions are only noticeable in the country, but as Wild found out, you can’t take it with you when you die, and you can’t leave it when you move either.
Wild earned a degree in journalism from San Francisco State University, where she was a star student. But instead of pursuing a career as a reporter, Wild chose to go freelance while pursuing a number of other careers, including teaching.
Wild currently serves as the administrator of the nonprofit Friendly Visitors of El Dorado County. The program offers free supervision and activities for adults aged 55 and over who are socially isolated due to physical or mental disabilities. A dedicated corps of volunteers offers direct services, supported by a program manager and a licensed clinical therapist. A similar program in the county had been abolished. Wild took it upon himself to use it again. She built the organization, endorsed, and sought funding from the Mental Health Services Act.
Wild says that she believes her diverse life experiences provide a treasure trove of storytelling material. Your submission to “Chicken Soup for the Soul” was a first step in creating more stories for publication. It fits the theme of this book, which is to “Put Self-Care at the Top of Your To-Do List.” She has joined a local group of writers who focus on writing stories from her memoirs.
If, after reading Wild’s Adventures in Meditation, you ask yourself if she ever meditates, she replies, “Yes, I meditate every morning. It centers me. “
It’s part of “Making Me Time”.