Author: Jim Gohrick (Page 73 of 159)

We decided to head up to the mountains this last weekend and hit the slopes. We weren’t sure about the weather, but decided to take a chance anyway. I guess the truth is, I took several chances, if not many. Maybe we all do.

First of all my truck’s transmission is on the fritz – I decided to take it anyway. My tires are in dire need of being replaced as they are almost down to the “wear bars” – I took it anyway. The forecast was for high winds and snow mixed with rain because it wasn’t going to be cold enough for the fluffy stuff – We gave it a go anyway.

When we got up there the winds were blowing hard with gusts up to 45 mph. Because it wasn’t quite cold enough, it felt like bb’s hitting your face when you stepped outside of the car. We geared up and strapped in anyway.

We pushed through and rode extremely slow chairlifts that blew us sideways while riding them and took way too long to get to the top. The snow was soft and heavy and I couldn’t hold an edge.

By the time lunchtime came, our clothes were soaking wet and it felt like we’d all been in a rain storm.

We ate something hot and called it quits.

Am I glad I went? Of course! Without a doubt.

It’s better than a stick in the eye.

My eyes open in the morning and I have another day on this earth to choose to be the person I intend to be.

That’s enough for today.

Yaaaay! So grateful for this opportunity.

When we’re kids, it’s always time to play.

Due to the lack of responsibility we had, and the care our parents provided us – such as eating, clothing, shelter, etc., we didn’t have to worry about those things.

So, every moment of the day was an opportunity to play, explore, learn, laugh, dance and much more.

As we get older, the responsibilities begin to grow and somehow our perspective of life shifts as well. This is common and most necessary as we acquire the skills to become an adult and all that comes with it.

But, it doesn’t mean we can or should stop playing – whatever that means us. Maybe it’s sports. Or playing music. Maybe it’s playing with kids. It doesn’t matter. Play!

If you’ve forgotten how to do it, go watch some kids on a playground for 30 minutes. Or instead of sitting inside on the next family get-together with the adults, go in the backyard with the kids and watch them. They know what their doing.

It’s Playtime.

Often times we can stray from our buoy of stability and feel like we’re floating in space or even freefalling when times get chaotic.

These are the moments when grounding ourselves and re-connecting with . . . what brings you home can help so much.

There are no rules, except the ones that make sense to you.

For some people, it’s a walk on the beach or a swim in the ocean in order to re-connect. For others it can be meditation or listening to relaxing music as they gaze at the sky.

It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as we know what brings us back to ground 0 – to our home.

Resetting and beginning again can make all the difference for us when we get a bit frazzled or out of sorts.

I know it does for me.

What say you?

Ever since I was young there was a certain “doom and gloom” at our house when Monday morning came around. Not so much by me, but I could sense it in my father. I could tell he wasn’t thrilled to go back to work after the weekend.

As I got to junior high and high school, it was pretty evident to me he was just flat out miserable. I could see it in his face when he came home at night and hear it in his voice when he would come into my bedroom in the mornings to say goodbye.

I had a wonderful childhood and had more than I could ever ask for as a kid growing up. My father provided us with private educations and sent 5 kids through college. That’s a fact!

It’s also a fact that he wasn’t happy with work and struggled to find a way to bring love to it as well.

I vowed to be different.

Why can’t Monday be as wonderful as Friday? It can. It’s all perspective.