Good Monday Morning!
I hope you enjoyed the blessings of summer in November! This weekend gave us lovely opportunities to enjoy the sun’s warmth. Whether we were surfing, hiking, working in the garden, or simply enjoying a cool refreshment on the patio, we were soaking up natural Vitamin D. Ninety-degree weather when so many in the country are experiencing harsher temperatures is one of the reasons SOCAL is such a pleasant place to live.
Earlier in the year, when I moved, I had the opportunity to simplify and declutter. At first, I thought the process was a giant pain, but after some time, I’ve discovered that I rarely miss the items I was so sad about letting go and have a genuine desire to eliminate more of the dross from my life. Interestingly, the journey began by considering things without which life seemed impossible to live. After a while, though, I realized that there are many mental and emotional defaults that no longer serve me well, in addition to the things I have accumulated.
For example, as I decluttered my belongings, some of the attachments also left, freeing me to think differently about what matters. My relationships matter. Rekindling friendships and giving them the time they deserve is one of the benefits of letting go of the stuff of life. My work matters. Taking the opportunity to help others utilizing my natural and cultivated gifts is very fulfilling and blesses others. The caveat here is to recognize and strive for work/life balance, affording adequate time to not only rest but fortify and strengthen resolve and stamina.
Critical thinking matters. Amid disharmony, the ability to cut through the layers of protective devices and find solutions to the discord produces harmony and wellbeing in all areas of life. Sometimes, it is through adversity that the most creative and life-changing solutions can manifest. You’ve probably heard the words of Winston Churchill:
“A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.”
And taking a stand for what we believe matters. We see in Scripture some poignant thoughts on opportunity:
“Whenever we have the opportunity, we have to do what is good for everyone, especially for the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10 (GW)
Albert Einstein sums up the advantages in acting on opportunity quite succinctly with the following quote:
I love this picture because it reminds me of the following passage in the Gospel of Matthew:
“Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 (NKJV)
Talk about an opportunity!
We face daily opportunities to enrich and be enriched. But, I wonder how often we miss these unique moments because we’re too busy, lost in our clutter, defending our point-of-view, or too exhausted to pay attention to a chance encounter. How much we must miss when we’re depleted due to overwork and a lack of self-care. And, think of the times when being present would have made a significant impact in someone else’s life – including our spouses, children, and friends, not to mention the colleague or stranger that would have benefitted from our knowledge and experience. It’s unsettling to think about those missed opportunities.
There’s hope, though! As I frequently remind us, life is a series of choices. So this week, let’s choose to be available to notice the opportunities that cross our paths. Who knows how we may be blessed and in what ways we might be a blessing to others. So let’s declutter, walk away from discord, and seek opportunities that lie in the middle of the difficulty!
Be Well & Be Blessed!
Lucinda
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