Turn on a dime
“I need to cancel my training session today. I had a fall in my driveway, and I’m a little banged up,” read the text message from my client, Cass.
Two weeks later and recovered enough to begin exercising again, Cass told me the details of her mishap. She’d been to Home Depot and was carrying a 25-pound bag of potting soil to the house when she stepped on a small toy her daughter left in the driveway. She tumbled forward and landed on her forearms and knees, resulting in cuts, scrapes, bruises, and a lot of soreness.
“Wow, you dodged a serious bullet, Cass,” I said. She was quiet for a moment, then asked what I meant by that. I elaborated that from her description, had the angle of her fall been just a bit different, her face would have squarely hit the pavement, and her life could have turned upside down. “You avoided serious facial injuries, maybe scarring and even brain trauma.” Cass considered this for several seconds before replying, “I hadn’t thought about it like that.” During our workout, it also occurred to her how the lives of her husband and kids would be affected by such an accident. She said, “Life really can turn on a dime, can’t it?”
It absolutely can. Cass’ fall and how it could have turned out far worse was a reminder that life can significantly alter in the blink of an eye. If, each day, we took a moment to consider this fact, how might it affect our mindset and outlook on our lives, the world around us, and what truly matters? Might we be less apt to overreact to small annoyances and inconveniences, quickly and unfairly judge others, and take ourselves so seriously?
Cass’ incident motivated me to take time each evening to acknowledge and appreciate all that went well that day—things like my prompt and safe arrival to client sessions, my pleasant interaction with the store cashier, time for quiet relaxation, and, of course, no injury-inducing mishaps.
Some may regard this “turn on a dime” consciousness as alarmist and fear-based, while for others, it may create a shift in their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I’d like to hear your thoughts. What’s your take on this perspective, and if practiced, how might it impact you?
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Slipstream
There's so much craziness these days and so many annoyances, they sometimes feel like a persistent mosquito buzzing around my head, and my slapping the air seems to have no effect other than to annoy me even more.
Like you, taking a few moments each day to say my thanks for all my blessings is comforting and reminds me of the important things in my life instead of wasting my precious time on the "mosquitos."
Thanks for sharing Cass' incident. I'm very happy to hear she averted what could have been disastrous.
Well Street
I like your mosquito metaphor. Our overreactions to those annoyances create figurative welts, itching, and stinging on our emotional bodies and psyches.
Focusing on the things going right in our lives can serve as a repellant spray for those mosquitos.
Evangel
On any day, we can read a news story of an unforeseen tragedy that's taken someone's life. Whether it's another school shooting, a California landslide, or Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, each is a reminder that "there but for the grace of God go I."
Being mindful of life's fragility is neither alarmist nor fear-based. It's realistic because it's life. Yes, we can push these reminders out of sight and out of mind, but deep down, for me at least, the awareness keeps me in check and helps me to be more caring and sensitive to the needs of all those I love.
Well Street
Pushing those reminders out of sight and mind has become increasingly easy when distracting and disconnecting ourselves is just a swipe away on a screen of our choice.
Like you, I'm tuned in and sensitive to other's needs that come from "turn on a dime" awareness.