4 QUESTIONS AND 1 LETTER

Over the next serveral days, I will be giving you

4 questions to ask yourself at the end of

a year,

a week,

a month,

a quarter,

a project,

an event,

to get perspective

and chart a path forward.

(For our purposes, we will look back at 2017.)

 

On the 5th day, we’ll talk about the letter.  

 

Question 1:

In thinking about 2017,

what went well?

WHAT NO ONE TELLS YOU ABOUT WALKING

What no one tells you about walking life’s path:

 

How long it takes to arrive at the next destination.  

You must stop along the way to ask for directions.

Some people will walk with you longer than others.

If you don’t find a way to enjoy the walking, you’ll never enjoy the destination.

Some destinations dissapoint.

Sometimes you will leave too early.

Sometimes you will stay too long.

You will get tired.  It’s ok to rest.

If you choose to let them,

all the paths and stops will teach you.

No one can walk your path for you.

 

 

I WRAPPED IT MYSELF

“I wrapped it myself.” she said

as she placed the box with the finely fashioned bow in my hands.

 

“It’s beautifully done.”

I carefully untied the bow,

slid my finger under the wrapping paper

and opened the box underneath.

 

“I made it myself.” she said with expectant eyes.

 

“It’s amazing. Thank you.”  I meant it.

 

She smiled a smile of deep satisfaction,

like she herself had been received with joy

along with her gift.

 

Every day, the people we meet are handing us

the gift of who they are,

how we receive it (and them)

can change their world.

THE HOLY-DAYS

All of the

Holidays

beckon,

call,

enjoin,

remind

us of what we forget.

 

Life is a gift

we are

to receive

and

to give.

 

There is more going on

than what we

see,

taste,

or

touch.

 

We are all connected.

(Really. Just ask

the great spiritual masters

and the string theorists).

 

The Holidays

remind us

that

every day,

every. single. day.

is holy.  

STACK YOUR LIFE

When faced with a pile of rocks

and asked to stack them,

we know what to do:

start with the largest to form a firm foundation.

From there, the stacking seems relatively simple.

 

Sometimes the rock tower stands for days,

depending on

the wind,

the sun,

the rain,

the movement of the earth.

 

And when they fall over,

we might be disappointed for a moment,

but

we just start over.

And we get better at stacking.

 

When faced with the pieces of our lives

we find it more difficult.  

We get anxious about choosing the “right” pieces to stack.

We wonder if we are putting them in the “right” places.

We read “stacking” books

and

take “stacking” seminars.

 

We worry it will all fall apart.

We wonder how we will handle it when it does.

 

Maybe we need to treat stacking our lives

more like stacking rocks.

OPEN INVITATION

“Been getting out much?”

my friend asked, referring to a shared interest in running.

“Not at all.” I replied.

“You can come run with us anytime.  

There are people at every level now.

You’ll always have someone to run with.”

 

It was an open invitation.

And I knew he meant it.

 

I could choose

to accept it,

or not.  

 

Afterwards, I thought of

the invitation the Universe offers,

“You can enjoy this life, anytime.

You don’t have to be

rich,

smart,

educated,

live in a certain neighborhood,

wear a certain size,

have perfect hair,

have a certain title,

run a 7-minute mile,

or any of those things

you think you have to have.”

 

It’s an open invitation.

 

You can accept it

or

not.