Essential, Random and Frivolous Thoughts of a Cabinet Maker

I know a lot of people who have a problem with celebrating their birthdays every year. And it seems the older they get the harder time they have. Maybe they’re focusing on the wrong thing. I would imagine it wasn’t a problem when they were a kid. In fact, if you want to follow the directions of how to celebrate your day? Watch a child.

Maybe we could choose to take a different perspective of how we view each and every passing year on this earth.

There’s no doubt, the older you get the birthday’s seem to arrive much sooner than in the past, but my gratitude has also grown for my time on this earth. You want to get a bird’s eye view of the gifts in your life, take note of all the people who choose to reach out to you on your special day to wish you well. The gratitude you have for these moments can deepen the relationships with the people around you and enrich each and every day to attract even more wonderful people into your inner circle.

I’d like to think we can see each and every day with breath in our lungs as a gift. And yes, this includes Birthdays.

I feel like I’m in a constant tug-o-war with my ability to remain in the present moment without wondering, “what’s next?”

I’m not quite sure how I got here, but I will tell you it’s quite a challenge for me to keep my mind still and focused with the tasks at hand.

Have we become completely incapable of being? Not doing. But, just being?

I hope we haven’t. Maybe we just need a reminder every once in a while. A time that we set everything aside and remain still. Only for a moment.

Over time, we can expand that time as we calm ourselves into the space we’ve chosen.

Maybe – just maybe – we can get back to a place we remember well and find peace and stillness in order to reset and rejuvenate ourselves. A place where we get back to who we are; human beings. Not human doings.

I have to be reminded quite often to stand in someone else’s shoes for even just a brief moment in time in order gain empathy for others in order to take focus off myself, my own problem and what I think is so important.

It’s oh so very easy to get stuck in our perspective of the world and never see otherwise. However, it can only take a second to choose to see the world from someone else’s eyes.

In doing so, we become more empathetic, a bit softer and maybe – just maybe more loving.

Who couldn’t use more Love? I know I can.

Call it what you want. Down Time. Stop Down. Unplugged. A Breather. A Break. Meditation Time or any other name that makes sense to you, we could all use a consistent and scheduled time to ground ourselves from the frantic pace and constant electronic distractions we experience in our day. I certainly know I can.

It doesn’t have to be complicated or even very creative; a walk around the block, 15 minutes of quiet-time without your phone or even a quick cat-nap are ways to disconnect from the matrix of life and give yourself some time for some deep breaths.

We all need to reset our computers every once in a while in order clear our hard drives/screens and the frenetic energy the day brings with it’s stress and tight schedule.

Give yourself a few moments each day and you won’t regret it. You may just find yourself looking forward to these times.

Whether it comes to politics, religion or any other organization that we encounter in today’s world, more times than not, I’m going to choose the individual. The person.

Why? Because we are social beings. We emotionally connect with people not institutions. We Love people not parties. We bond with individuals not groups. We’re empathetic to close friends who have had a tumultuous past. We relate to a sibling because of our shared history. We find a deeper kinship with those who call themselves out due to their short-comings. We create an inspiring and nurturing atmosphere with like-minded folks in order to inspire others in order for them to be the best version of themselves possible.

Yes, there are institutions that are of value and that even need our help in being protected in order to continue on in the capacity with which they serve, but it isn’t the institution that has a heartbeat, feelings, emotion and deep connection, it’s the human beings within those walls that make our brief moments on this earth have meaning.