Time!... It gets spent so quickly and I can't earn or buy more. My son pointed out that I may have maybe 10-20 more years left in me - that, if I were in the best of health. Hmmm, my dad died at 63, mom at 81... So, with what I've got left in me... what impact do I have on folks?
I've been thinking about IMPACT for a while... and at every turn the word comes back and smacks me in the face and causes me to consider my mindfulness... my personal accountability... at least, in the big to medium size events of life; not in the what-protein-powder-should-I-use-today-in-my-smoothie.... this is the little stuff of existence.
My question is what can I do to make a better difference? A better impact?
The way I see it, surely, people would consider taking other actions if only they would have - STOPPED -
...and considered the IMPACT of their choices. You know the choices - the ones you tend to feel funny about doing afterwards - the ones that you give a second thought to, or wake up the next morning with - like a bad taste in your mouth:
- Would you really wear that outfit?.... This is super minor, however, it's hard not noticing older women and men attempting to re-capture youth that has long...LONG... left the room.
- Would you really continue to flirt?... Knowing that you have absolutely no good intention...
- Would you be so dismissive about her concerns, but demand immediate assistance for whatever you think you need or want?
- Would you say what you did... and when you did... did you almost hear his gasp
- Would you rush pass the woman struggling with her cart
- Would you question her repeatedly, concerning inconsequential details, when the issue was so much bigger - you so sadly missed the point she was trying hard to make, because you were so lost in your own drive for pointless details...
- When you forgot something that really wasn't earth scattering - but you let go with a plethora of expletives within ear shoot of some kiddos... (Of course, even with the big forgotten somethings of life - it's still not okay to swear)
- ... And let's not forget the times when we don't do anything... like... we look the other way... Nothing - is an impact too! Like silence - it speaks volumes and ...can also be golden...
However, I do want you to consider the times you didn't even THINK your impact may have been damaging. These are the times we feel justified in whatever we did and said... We don't even consider relinquishing the "right" to justice... We just vomit all over the person who messed up our day.... or night... or the moment...
IMPACT...
If only...
....You gave a second thought and considered the IMPACT of a...
- Blessing instead of curse
- A prayer for someone who may not even believe that God exist - let alone have anyone to hold their name up to the Father. (This hit me one day - there are folks who don't know the Father and are surrounded by folks - who don't know the Father - so NO ONE is praying for any one! Riding the train - Ive met some very ... lonely and b r o k en p e o p l e...).
- A kind word
- A forgiving silence - you know this... It's when you look quietly at someone who has wronged you and the look you gave was not condemning, but forgiving...
- An outstretched hand
- A sigh
- A smile
- A nod of understanding
- A simple touch
- A hug... a shoulder
- A gift of some flowers...
Think about it..... How might you "share" your love, if you consider yourself to be loving? IMPACT!
Impact is up there with regrets, (regrets and impact are weird cousins), but stopping yourself just before you do or say something... is avoiding regrets...
So give some thought to your impact. Yes, it will take some work, re-training your mindset to not make the snap reaction. It will require you to move at a slower pace... It will require you to breathe... to think!
Imagine how much slower we would breathe if we knew - that the hyper-ventilating that we do when we're upset and "impacting" folks negatively - was taking seconds off our lives at a faster rate.
Just slow down - give a second thought, even a prayer... to your impact.
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| Taken 3/28/18 in the morning Soli Deo Gloria |
