Sunday Musings – February 23, 2020
It is Sunday This past week we humans did not accomplish world peace, end domestic violence, or decide to play nice as members of the body politic. We did not ensure equal access to quality health care, affordable housing or a host of other basic needs.
Yesterday, I had plans to shop a little on my way to Pittsburgh where I was joining friends for dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant prior to us attending a performance by the Cuban dance troupe Malpaso. My plans were to leave early and do a little shopping for some groceries and other household items prior to meeting them. A frozen phone quickly interrupted my plans. After trying all the online suggestions to unfreeze the phone, I reach an Apple support person via my Apple watch phone connection. The very pleasant support person was unable to unfreeze the phone but got me an appointment at the Apple Store in Pittsburgh. I quickly gathered what I needed and headed to the store.
While at the store getting the phone repaired next to me was a family with an older model, broken iPhone. They were purchasing another older model phone and were asked if they wanted Apple care. They had a lengthy discussion about their budget. Obviously, there were not the poorest of the poor but with two children and two adults in their family most of their $36,000.00 per annum income was already budgeted. I was acutely aware of a time in my life when I would walk several blocks to avoid the extra 5 cent bus transfer charge. Yet, even then I knew as a white male with no restricting diseases or conditions, I was eventually going to be able to earn more money. Yesterday I was acutely aware while listening to this family discussion that I had not had to worry about gas money to get to the store and had not had to think about Apple Care when I purchased the phone.
This morning the spiritual intention I wrote down and shared with a couple of people was to make plans but to not become attached to them. I can easily become attached to the goal of accomplishing all that is on my to do list. If there are requests for my time which conflicts with what is on my list I can becomes impatient and frustrated. I seemingly forget that my core values dictate that I put relationships and immediate needs of others ahead of most other tasks. If someone needs to talk, if not careful, I may not be very present because I am thinking about the tasks which are on my list. I must then remind myself of my core values.
I have had several opportunities today to honor my spiritual intention. Many of the items on my to do list have not been accomplished. Yet none of them were more important than being fully present to those who called, emailed or texted me.
My daily challenge is to remind myself of my core value to be very intentional about the footprint I want to leave that day. It is a simple challenge but, as is true for all challenges, not always easy or comfortable.
Written February 23, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
It is Sunday This past week we humans did not accomplish world peace, end domestic violence, or decide to play nice as members of the body politic. We did not ensure equal access to quality health care, affordable housing or a host of other basic needs.
Yesterday, I had plans to shop a little on my way to Pittsburgh where I was joining friends for dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant prior to us attending a performance by the Cuban dance troupe Malpaso. My plans were to leave early and do a little shopping for some groceries and other household items prior to meeting them. A frozen phone quickly interrupted my plans. After trying all the online suggestions to unfreeze the phone, I reach an Apple support person via my Apple watch phone connection. The very pleasant support person was unable to unfreeze the phone but got me an appointment at the Apple Store in Pittsburgh. I quickly gathered what I needed and headed to the store.
While at the store getting the phone repaired next to me was a family with an older model, broken iPhone. They were purchasing another older model phone and were asked if they wanted Apple care. They had a lengthy discussion about their budget. Obviously, there were not the poorest of the poor but with two children and two adults in their family most of their $36,000.00 per annum income was already budgeted. I was acutely aware of a time in my life when I would walk several blocks to avoid the extra 5 cent bus transfer charge. Yet, even then I knew as a white male with no restricting diseases or conditions, I was eventually going to be able to earn more money. Yesterday I was acutely aware while listening to this family discussion that I had not had to worry about gas money to get to the store and had not had to think about Apple Care when I purchased the phone.
This morning the spiritual intention I wrote down and shared with a couple of people was to make plans but to not become attached to them. I can easily become attached to the goal of accomplishing all that is on my to do list. If there are requests for my time which conflicts with what is on my list I can becomes impatient and frustrated. I seemingly forget that my core values dictate that I put relationships and immediate needs of others ahead of most other tasks. If someone needs to talk, if not careful, I may not be very present because I am thinking about the tasks which are on my list. I must then remind myself of my core values.
I have had several opportunities today to honor my spiritual intention. Many of the items on my to do list have not been accomplished. Yet none of them were more important than being fully present to those who called, emailed or texted me.
My daily challenge is to remind myself of my core value to be very intentional about the footprint I want to leave that day. It is a simple challenge but, as is true for all challenges, not always easy or comfortable.
Written February 23, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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