Care

"We are afraid to care too much, for fear that the other person does not care at all." -Eleanor Roosevelt

I am limiting my writing this week in order to spend my time taking care of someone special. My wife had surgery last Friday and is now at home recuperating. Since I place her well being very high on my list of priorities, I have taken the week off to care for her.

The word 'care' is defined by Merriam-Webster as a person or thing that is an object of attention, anxiety, or solicitude. It is to direct ones attention or concern towards.

Which really means to disregard thoughts of self and direct them towards another. It is a moment or period of time in which we stop worrying about just ourself. It is a moment or period of time in which we start living outside of ourself.

As humans, we can become very 'self-absorbed' in our own life. So much that we fail to see our connection with others. The bonding of our lives with others that only comes from caring.

There are those that would argue that, "I give money to charity" or "We sponsor a local kids soccer program" is enough. Those things are well and good, but where is the caring connection? Where is the personal touch of your life within theirs?

Our lives become great and fulfilled when we interact with others. The connection of caring for others becomes greater then self. When all of this happens, we raise the level of our own lives; we raise the self.

When you take time to go outside of 'you', amazingly that caring will come back around to 'you'.

A Day Off

I will be back next week. Just taking the day off and paying attention to other more important things.

Have a great weekend!

Prepare

"I will prepare and some day my chance will come." ~Abraham Lincoln

You get up in the morning, shower, dress and eat breakfast. Some then start the car while others head off to the bus stop. You arrive, grab a coffee or other drink and sit at your desk. Or you put on gloves and a hard hat, making your way towards the task at hand.

Lunch arrives, you open your lunch pail or the menu. Maybe a personal phone call or two and then back to work until the time to leave arrives. So back into your car or to a bus ride home. The dog needs to be walked, the supper cooked, maybe a school meeting or catching up on your reading.

The time for bed comes around finally and pajama dressing, teeth brushing and setting the alarm for the next morning. All of this happens day in and day out, most times without even thinking about it.

But everything you do or have done required some level of preparation. It took some planning, some thought and some decision making. You then put each of those things into action.

Now think about your visions or dreams. Have you prepared? Have you planned? Have you put them into motion?

Paperwork of Life

"We can lick gravity, but sometimes the paperwork is overwhelming." ~Wernher von Braun

Recently I spent a day with my wife going to her pre-operative medical visits. She was going to have surgery in a few days and these visits were a necessary part. So together, we bravely marched on towards the day.

Now I will admit that previous medical visits required numerous forms to fill out. We know that a visit to the doctor is probably also a date with paperwork. Even in today's 'electronic' age of computers, the need for paper still exists.

And again, as we made our way to each of three appointments, additional paperwork to read and sign. I am certain there are legislators, regulators and lawyers out there earning a very good living by the looks of it.

But in all of the ink and pulp, the human factor remained. People in a profession (medical) doing a professional job and being friendly. Each and everyone of them, happy, pleasant and just enjoying the work. We may have been 'another patient and husband' but we certainly didn't feel that way.

Do you project a positive image in your daily work? Will people get the impression that they matter and that you enjoy your work? If not, then one of two things need to happen. You either need to change your attitude or find new work. It isn't worth being miserable just to earn a paycheck. It isn't worth living your life in that manner.

Change the way you approach your work. Make it an enjoyable experience not only for you but for those around you. If you can not do that, think about finding something that does bring joy to your daily work life. Most of us are going to spend nearly forty years or more working.

That is at least half of your life time. Don't spend those years in a miserable way. Spend those years enjoying the days.

You are the only one that can make that change. It is not your boss, it is not your co-worker, and it isn't even the money. It is you that controls your own attitude.

Get on with the paperwork that will always be there. But also get on with a great and enjoyable life. It is your choice. Initial those pages, sign at the bottom and get on with it.