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SURELY THERE IS A BETTER WAY?
Back at that fogged-in airport, and
clutch of more-or-less anxious passengers. One expensively-dressed mam puffed himself up, stomped to podium, and in a voice heard across crowded waiting area, “You don’t understand,” he shouted. “I AM IMPORTANT!”
Truth is, we’re all of us – and none of us – important in larger scheme of things. When big stuff happens, when there’s nothing we can do to effect a change . . . then best thing to do is do nothing. Hunker down. Wait gracefully. Breathe. Give thanks for whatever good things may be.
In The Power of Patience (Broadway, 2003), writer M. J. Ryan offers several simple steps we can take to put ourselves – and our life – in perspective. I especially like her suggestion to carry a small stone in my pocket. “When you start to feel irritation arise,” Ryan advises, “move pebble from one pocket to other, which will help interrupt anger cycle and give you a chance to regroup.”
Pebbles are good. And if, like me, you are often caught without a pocket to your name, may I offer an even easier idea: Extend your hand, palm down. Focus on it – yours is unique, unlike any other hand in world. Now slowly – S-T-R-E-T-C-H your fingers. . . Extend them . . . H-O-L-D it . . . and then RELAX.
Relax your fingers.
Relax your hand.
Relax your heart.
Relax into a slower space, where stakes are by definition lower.
AND NOW . . . WELCOME. WELCOME TO YOUR WORLD.
Maureen Killoran is a Life Coach offering dynamic individual and group coaching, work team empowerment training, teleclasses, and a free monthly e-zine, "Seeds of Change." Watch for Maureen's forthcoming e-workbook, SpiritQuesting (tm) -- a non-sectarian path to personal deepening and growth. Why not contact Maureen for a complimentary coaching consultation? http://www.spiritquestcoaching.com
