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Thank You Please
People will never forget how you made them feel — Maya Angelou There is a universal moment after a gift or favor has been bestowed upon a child that humans collectively pause for a few seconds, waiting for a tiny, sing-song “thank you” they hope will follow. Parents especially hope for this. The thank-you or its absence can feel like a reflection on them. What kind of parent are they? Have they raised a well-mannered child? And it goes beyond parents. On some level, we all hope to hear an expression of gratitude for a courtesy granted; it speaks to the dynamics of our larger human community. As people, we…
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Being There
What does it mean to be there? In the last month, I’ve attended two funerals and officiated a wedding. To attend: to pay attention; listen or watch attentively; to direct one’s thoughts; to be present and ready to give service. Within each definition, there is an implied choice. When we choose to be there–to attend, we are choosing to give someone our time. It’s a bit staggering to think about time as an asset when you consider how nonchalantly we squander it surfing , scrolling, and devoting hours to Candy Crush. Time may be our only innate and yet fully transferable asset. A friend shared recently that he’d chosen to pass on…
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Give A Little Bit
For it is in the giving that one receives. –St. Francis of Assisi It is difficult to be authentically generous and righteously entitled at the same time. It’s like trying to smile and frown simultaneously. You end up in this awkward grimace. Nothing much is accomplished. When I am feeling uncertain, the solution for me is to give. Give my time, my energy, my talent. Giving is the ultimate plot twist. It moves me from a scarcity mindset to abundance. Despair to hope. Groggy to focused. I am not a doctor, scientist, or mystic but I’ve participated in a number of real world “experiments” and the theory always holds true. Giving changes me. Nature abhors…
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All Aboard
“I hear the train a comin’ It’s rolling round the bend…” — Johnny Cash, Folsom Prison Blues Human beings take up their own place, time, and space like all physical things. From a singular point of view, it may seem at times that our needs do not align with the desires of those around us. We operate under the illusion that the confluence of our lives is to be like a grand rail station…each of us moving forward with a predetermined schedule and pace. Each dutifully keeping to their own tracks. Maybe from a distance, life appears that way. But when you’re at street level, it can seem random and chaotic. All decisions become a different stop along the tracks. Should we keep this job or pursue…
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When You Put It That Way
“The level of your commitment is how quickly you return to it.” — Anonymous Much as I hate to admit it, I am someone who evaluates accomplishment in degrees. For example, to call myself a runner it’s not enough to run in the local 5K race for charity. A “real” runner, runs daily and competes in marathons. All kinds of characteristics are subject to this type of evaluation. Being a writer only counts if you’ve been published. Baked goods are only legit if they are made from scratch. You get the idea. For every activity there is a bar, and quite often, I have to be on my tippy toes to reach it. True, I’ve…
