I know this all too well this week. It's been a fantastic week but I'm tired. I've been working all week in Penticton teaching a business planning program to a wonderful group. But that's 10 hours of driving for the week to/from Penticton plus very full and jam-packed days. I'm up before 6am, out the door by 7am and don't get home until after 7, 8 or 9pm each night after stopping in at the hostel to check on things and meet with the team.
Tonight, at the hostel, I had a tough moment b/c, it's been brought to our attention over the past weeks that we could be serving our customers better. There were just a few comments/minor complaints...nothing major and certainly very common for the hosteling industry. Not really common for me though. Not at all what I would hope for or expect from my hostel. The team is great. But, I think sometimes I forget to "create moments" for the people in my life...and I think at the hostel we've neglected to create moments on a daily, consistent basis for our customers. This sense of casualness and a relaxed approach to work happens every winter at the hostel. During the summer, the team is on fire with ideas, events, activities and exceptional customer service...but in the winter, we relax, get complacent, take things for granted and let moments slip by...
I do this in my own life too.
Sometimes, I focus on the things that are not going as well as I would like and then I let those things drag me down a bit. I did that this week, even. I wanted to practise the guitar more than I did. I had good intentions of doing a number of things...but lastnight, I just didn't have the energy. I thought about going for a run...and then opted for a cozy spot on the couch instead. Now...both sound pretty good to me...but in retrospect, I wish I had gone for that run. I would have been more energized afterwards.
Tonight, I stopped in at the hostel on my way home, before going on that run I didn't get to yesterday. I ended up sitting in on a staff meeting where the discussion was about the little things that went wrong over the past few weeks...and I felt so deflated. On the eve of the hostel's 12th birthday. It's not what I was hoping to hear. I left the meeting and went downstairs to fold laundry, tidy the storage room and think. Down there, I burst into tears, which shocked me, but I think it was b/c I was so excited about the 12th anniversary that I didn't want to accept the truth that we could do better.
I know myself well enough to know that "letting it out and letting it go" is what I needed to do. Crying for 10 minutes is my way to do that. And then, the manager, Ian, and I had the best conversation about what to do to create better moments for the customers in the future. Then, when I stopped in to chat briefly with some of the other team-members, they were busy thinking of ways to improve. In just a short while, we went from taking things for granted to being grateful and creating specific plans to make the most of future moments for our customers.
I am blessed. Truly.
I came home, still not feeling 100% though.
A long hot shower did wonders...
And taking some time to speak with a friend, being completely honest my feelings, I feel my life returning to my normal (rose-coloured glasses) perspective of "fabulous".
For the record, it's not always fabulous...but I'm amazed tonight, at how quickly things moved from negative to positive - with everyone taking responsibility for creating new moments and memories. Moments are memories...and we all gotta make the most of every one.
My friend, Laura Thurnheer, shared a quote with me years ago that she found. "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take...but rather, by the number of moments that take our breath away".
This is what life is about.
Mom, I thought of you tonight as I buried myself in folding laundry and cleaning the storage room, crying... to let out and let go of my disappointment. I know that you've had lots of disappointments in the past. You don't really carry around any baggage though. You obviously found a way to let it out and let it go. Did you do that by crying your face off for a few minutes? I know I can do that for a few minutes...and then I feel much better! Did I get that from you? Where ever I did, it's fast and it works. So much better than harbouring resentment or anger...
Maybe you had a more calm way of letting out your disapointments and letting go...so that you could get back to creating moments and making the most of every one!
All I know is that I have a lot of memories of great moments...because of you!
This photo below is of one of those moments...
I love you Mom.
Crystal
Listening to the song "What about now" by Robbie Robertson reminds me of taking advantage of every moment, not letting them slip by or taking them for granted...and making memories of every one!
What about now - Robbie Robertson
There's gonna be a change of season
Indian Summer look around
And it's gone
Why you wanna save the best for last
We grow up so slowly
And grow old so fast
We don't talk about forever
We just catch it while we can
And if I grab on
To the moment
Don't let it slip away
Out of my hand
What about now
What about now
Forget about tomorrow
It's too far away
What about now
What about now
Close your eyes
Don't talk of yesterday
It's too far away
Too far away
It's too far away
What about now
I'm coming out of the shadows
I'm getting of of this one way street
Blue memories
They just gather dust
Leave them in the rain
They turn into rust
Did you see the march to freedom
Did you ever see Savannah moon
In the middle of the night
All the other people
Walking in a line
Said to the man
Is it my time
What about now
What about now
Forget about tomorrow
It's too far away
What about now
What about now
Just close your eyes
Don't talk of yesterday
It's too far away
Too far away
It's too far away
What about now
In the walk of a lifetime
When you know it's the right time
Bring it to me darlin'
I can't wait
I can't wait
Until the ship comes in
I can't wait
I can't wait
Starting up all over again
The errors of a wise man
Make the rules for a fool
What about now
Forget about tomorrow
It's too far away
It's too far away
What about now
Don't talk of yesterday
It's too far away
It's too far away
What about now
What about now
Forget about tomorrow
It's too far
It's too far away
It's too far away
What about now
Close your eyes
Don't talk of yesterday
It's too far away
Too far away
It's too far away
Too far away
It's too far
What about now
It's all about now right now
Don't break the spell
Don't break the spell
Don't break the spell
Don't break the spell
It's all about now right now
Now right now
Here right now
It's all about now
All over by tomorrow
Don't break the spell
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