Skip to main content

Pull over

When I drive home down Polk City Highway, I always notice a very small cemetary to my right.  I am not creeped out by cemetaries, rather I find them quiet, serene places with beautiful and interesting tombstones.  Although I have not stopped at this one, I imagine that the stories of many lives are kept there, like the many others that I have had reason to visit.
The other day I glanced over to see a canopy almost overtaking the small plot of land.  Only a couple minutes later, I saw a long row cars coming toward me with their lights on.  I pulled over and waited.
As I sat, I thought about all the people in this long line of cars and how their lives had changed.  Some more than others, but changed all the same.  I said a small prayer for them.
I noticed that several cars behind me had also pulled over (this doesn't always happen these days...) and I wondered if they were in a hurry and annoyed by the interruption.  Or if they were waiting calmly, taking a few minutes for themselves.
I thought about my husband's grandma, "Grandma Sugar", and how we had to drive her funeral procession past a different cemetary, just so she could let her relatives know she was there.  And how during the memorial service, we had passed her handbag down the pew and each took a starlight mint, just like we did every Sunday at church.  And how it made us smile... and cry.
It made me think about how good life is, even when sometimes it doesn't seem that way.  It's about perspective.  It's about what I choose to do and how I choose to act and re-act.  It's about realizing that life is only good if I make it that way.  And I am in charge.
That few minutes on the side of the road energized my spirit.  And when I got home a few minutes later, I was able to hit the ground running.  Apparently, I also choose to let my energy get revved up, or sucked up.
I'm sure there's a leadership lesson in there somewhere.  What's yours?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

It's about them

One of my leadership activities is being a business coach. I help others identify their goals and plan strategies to achieve their goals. Very often, the initial coaching goes something like this- "What are your goals?" "These are my goals." "What do you need to do to achieve these goals?" "I need to do a,b,c." "When do you want to have these goals achieved?" "By this date." And then off they go. OK- so there is more, but this boils it down to the essentials. Next coaching (after they have actually done some of the steps) sometimes goes like this- "No one will a or b." "What was their objection?" "I asked them to a or b for me, and they just said no." "What did you offer them?" "I offered them a or b and they said no." "What was in it for them?" "I didn't even get to tell them because they said no." "So why would they want a or b?&quo

Excuse or reason?

This past weekend, I listened to Sue Rusch, who is a Strategic Consultant, Speaker, & Business Coach (and also very tall).  Of all the wonderful information she gave (and there was a lot), the one quote that really struck home for me was, "We can look at family as an excuse , or a reason ."  Ouch!  It's so easy to avoid the work that I know I need to do, by saying "my family time is more important".  But what am I calling "family time"?  Sitting in a dance studio during lessons?  Watching tv while the rest of my family watches another tv?  Sitting on a field watching soccer practice?  Dinner together (but barely half the family is there)?  Choose what is important.  And be there.  Remember the reasons that you chose leadership.  And if your leadership is important, schedule your activities.  And be there .  No excuses. Thanks to everyone who is regularly (or even occasionally) reading this blog. I've been covering a lot of situations that ha

What a difference a day makes

Shortly after I woke up this morning, I started thinking about how different my morning was yesterday.  Yesterday - dizzy, spinning (and worse), today - calm (where's my coffee?).  Yesterday - "how will I get everything done that's on my schedule?", today - "what still needs to be done?".  Yesterday - laying in bed (or on the floor), today - working at my computer & making phone calls.  Yesterday - couldn't even think about food, today - where IS my coffee?  Yesterday, I was reminded that sometimes other people need to take care of things so that I can take care of my most important things.  Yesterday, it was taking care of my health so that I could be productive today.  Sometimes, it's saying "no" to a project or commitment, so that I can say "yes" to the things that make the most difference.  Sometimes you need to take a day, a few hours, or a few minutes to take care of yourself, so that you can be your best today.  Will yo