The Sun Always Shines On TV

Any time inclement weather rolls through, I always seem to think of the song by A-Ha. Maybe it's a secret wish to be on TV.

Of course, if I were on TV I would likely have to look presentable every day. That could be a problem.

I was out the other day doing my best orange Michelin Man imitation when a patch of ice covered concrete decided to darken my day. In a millisecond I went from staring at the contraption in my hand to seeing a cloudy sky whilst laying on a concrete mattress. Even now as I think back on the event, I can't seem to get an image of that fraction of a second to figure out what happened.

My balance is better than average.

I've stepped on patches of ice before. In fact, I've stepped on a couple in the days since. I have always been able to catch my footing and, as awkward as it may look for a moment, keep my myself upright. So what happened?

As I lay there assessing any damage that I may have inflicted upon my semi-fragile self, I muttered under my breath, “Focus, Dude. Focus.” Bruised ilium, bruised humerus, bruised ulna, lacerated elbow and bruised ego. At least there was nothing broken. I really did need to focus.

But focus wasn't the problem.

The problem was what I was focused on. For that instant, I was focused on the job and not my surroundings. I wasn't being mindful of where I put my foot even though I was moving forward. Accidents seem to happen when I'm looking down or looking back or looking too far forward.

The same thing seems to happen in relationships.

If I'm not paying attention to the conditions in front of me, there can be a sudden – and sometimes disastrous – change of view. Slowing down a bit gives me the chance to see what's happening around me; to assess a situation before it gets out of hand. It seems to me that life isn't lived getting from A to B as quickly as one can. It's lived in the moments when I stop to hear the breeze whisper through the pines or watch the glimmer of sun in a babbling brook or hold the hand of a troubled someone I give a shit about – all the while keeping my goals in the back of my mind.

It's okay to put goals aside for a moment now and then to enjoy living. It's okay to stop for a moment and adjust who I am to what is happening around me. Adjustments in my behaviour can easily save me from a slip and fall I should have seen coming. There are some things in life that are more important than "getting there".

I will get there, wherever "there" is. And it would be nice to be able to share that with someone I stopped to notice along the way.

In the meantime, I know I will heal. I always do. The sun will come out again and this brief little storm will pass.

And, perhaps, getting into TV isn't such a bad idea.

Namaste