Hi! How are you doing?
How has life been treating you?
Have you had a chance to sit down and think about it lately?
When you keep as busy as you do, that’s not always easy to
do. I know. I’m right there with you.
The distractions are constant. The distractions are
everywhere. To be real, we kinda like the distractions. Thinking about our own
situations can be … well, less than fun.
Most of us don’t even realize we’re addicted to the
distractions. We fill every moment with work, conversations, texts, checking up
on social media … anything to keep from sitting still and thinking for a moment
about important questions like, am I taking care of myself as well as I should?
Yeah, I don’t blame you. Stress comes with the emotions
stirred up by those types of questions. Life seems to be zooming by us and when
we keep ourselves constantly distracted it’s like stepping on the accelerator.
Another year has passed. Wow. Where did it go?
Sure, I can take a minute to reflect on that to help you
avoid thinking about your own year:
2017 was a bitch. Filled with lots of unexpected blessings
mind you, but filled with change … and change is often painful.
I started the year out at a job I wouldn’t wish on my worst
enemy (litte secret: I don’t really have any enemies … no room in my heart for
hate anymore. I outgrew that.). I’ll discuss that more in August when my gag
order is lifted…
Long story made very, very short … I lost the job, or the
job lost me … the transition was tough, but eventually I got the kind of job
I’ve wanted for years. So THAT part is all good.
But the blessings come during the tough times. When things
are dark and you feel like the world has cast you aside, no longer seeing any
worth in you, and your best efforts keep leading to dead ends … that is a great
opportunity for perspective.
I met countless wonderful people while driving for Uber and
Lyft to fill the gap. What a wonderful re-affirmation of the human spirit to
learn that the vast majority of people are kind and friendly … and encouraging!
There were many people who struck up very open and personal conversations and
connected on a level I never expected possible from a total stranger.
They were going through drama, trials, pain, loss in their
own lives and needed that kind of connection as much as I did. We would offer
each other empathy and well wishes before parting ways forever.
There was a woman living in a shelter who was trying
desperately to secure an apartment so she could be reunited with her children.
There was a young guy who was on his way to see his estranged wife to try to
work out their problems so he could be with his three young daughters again.
One night I picked up a retired man from a bar that had closed late on a
Wednesday night who told me to take him to any bar that’s still open. His wife
was gone and they had no children and he just wanted to be anywhere but home.
Although nothing was open that late on a Wednesday night I drove him around for
another hour having a lovely conversation.
So I guess I’ll offer this little piece of advice here in
the Christmas season, as 2017 is winding down … just be kind. That’s really all
most people need. Take your nose out of your screen now and again and offer a
kind word to someone … to anyone. It’s well worth a break from the
distractions.
