Saturday, 6:45 am, my brother calls, “I know the earthquake was in southern California, but it was a 7.1.” I’m still a little groggy with no idea there was a second quake, “Nah, it’s all cool here, I have my earthquake go bag-I do need to put the $200 in cash back in it.”After a few minutes he asked, “Are you joining us for Christmas in DC.” I sigh and respond, “Last year was the best Christmas, ever. Ever! I’m afraid. I’m just afraid, I don’t want to mess it up.” He laughed, “we’re the same people, doing the same thing.” My brilliant brother. I responded, “I’m in; I’m enthusiastically in.”
I may not have felt the quake, but this shook me. Blah, blah, blah, I’m showing off by saying I have an earthquake bag. That way of saying it like, I am prepared, I know about these things and have taken action. How long have been on this quest for perfection; when did I start to limit what I do? When did happiness versus expectations get screwed up in my head? Are there things you have not pursued further or tried again after one time success? Do you have things that are not done out of fear of disappointment?
Somewhere I stopped. Thank goodness I didn’t take my first steps and say, ok, let’s check that off the list, I’m done. One of my best blog posts was July 3, 2017, but, I didn’t say done, over, no more. And yet, in other areas, I have, It’s this thought like, I have a record, not going risk it. Yet, how can we master something, excel, if we’re one and done.
I didn’t immediately have a list, but over the weekend, I came up with a few. That fear is like weeds in a garden, subtle, blending in, until they take over the original vegetation. This week, consider where you did a one and done. Something went great, you enjoyed it, it brought you happiness and yet, without time, financial or physical constraints, you said done, game over, closing time. There are no bonus points for perfection. Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.
Balancing on Unstable Surfaces 