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DAVID BENTLEY'S WEEKLY COLUMN |
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NOW WHAT?
The end of the holiday season is in sight. The pressure of social events, gift giving, performances, special religious and spiritual observances, and meals with family and guests is starting to ease. Soon we will be in a new year with a reprieve before credit card bills and tax deadlines catch up with us. Some folks will start thinking about resolutions for the coming year, but most of us will simply ask ourselves, "Now what?" When I was a child, my mother and grandmother would often discuss the evening meal while eating dessert after lunch. My father would ask, "Can't we enjoy this meal before you start talking about the next one?" He wanted to savor his dining experience. In our fast paced world we often don't take the time to fully enjoy our experiences because we move on to the next one before we finish the current one. Our lives become obstacle courses in which we race along negotiating whatever hurdles or roadblocks pop up while trying to anticipate the next one. Over time we start treating stillness as a void to be filled rather than as a requirement for fully absorbing and appreciating an experience. Now is the time to stop and reflect on the holiday season that is ending. While our experiences are still fresh in our minds, we can ask ourselves what was pleasant, what was miserable, what did we learn, and what we would do differently next year. It might be a good time to just sit and look at the gifts, greeting cards, letters, and decorations before putting them away. Who knows? We might even find ourselves taking a little snooze in a favorite chair while our bodies rejuvenate and visions of sugar plums really do dance in our heads. Then, when we have fully taken in all that has happened over the past few weeks, we'll still be able to ask, "Now what?"
© 2005 David Bentley David Bentley, M.Ed. & Personal Coach, coaches clients through the game of life, helping them find balance, clarity of direction, and purpose in an ever-changing world. You may contact him at 360.378.8436 by e-mail at david@coachbentley.com or visit his Web site: www.coachbentley.com |
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SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2010 |
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