The 7.2 Baja earthquake shook the house (and all of Southern California) and with lamps still swinging, moments later, I sat with my mother and best friend at Easter dinner.
Nothing like an earthquake to bring you right back to earth with ... an instant refocus of priorities.
I'm not one to normally say grace at table, but as I looked as both these people I so dearly love, all I could think was "I'm so glad you are here."
My new friend Anne, at Germane Consulting talked today about a woman who had found her abilities as a leader after a near death experience and tweeted "Should we recommend near death as a development experience?"
In the course of doing transformative work with people I've invited them to try a few things, but never that. Maybe we should, though. There is nothing quite like imminent death to whiplash us back to our senses. All at once we are open to a really big question like "If I die right now, can I say I've lived as I wanted to?" or "I wish I had..." Suddenly unfinished business and procrastinated "I love yous" loom large. At the same time, all those squirmy ways we hid and ran away in order to avoid saying something that needed to be said like "I'm sorry" seem ridiculous.
It is a great leveler. (not sure if pun is or isn't intended there, it just came out).
Yet, benefits aside, I don't think I'll be suggesting a brush with death as a way to become intimate with what's important to you.
So, um, any baggage you'd like to ditch before The BIg One?
Nothing like an earthquake to bring you right back to earth with ... an instant refocus of priorities.
I'm not one to normally say grace at table, but as I looked as both these people I so dearly love, all I could think was "I'm so glad you are here."
My new friend Anne, at Germane Consulting talked today about a woman who had found her abilities as a leader after a near death experience and tweeted "Should we recommend near death as a development experience?"
In the course of doing transformative work with people I've invited them to try a few things, but never that. Maybe we should, though. There is nothing quite like imminent death to whiplash us back to our senses. All at once we are open to a really big question like "If I die right now, can I say I've lived as I wanted to?" or "I wish I had..." Suddenly unfinished business and procrastinated "I love yous" loom large. At the same time, all those squirmy ways we hid and ran away in order to avoid saying something that needed to be said like "I'm sorry" seem ridiculous.
It is a great leveler. (not sure if pun is or isn't intended there, it just came out).
Yet, benefits aside, I don't think I'll be suggesting a brush with death as a way to become intimate with what's important to you.
So, um, any baggage you'd like to ditch before The BIg One?
Pair #4 - Life is Short and That's an Understatement
© 2010 Elese Coit
If you wish to reprint, feel free. Please link back here and if it helps your readers, please include:
"Elese Coit is a leader in transformative personal change and Hosts the Radio Show A New Way To Handle Absolutely Everything. To see the world differently, reach for one of her '101 New Pairs of Glasses' each day on http://elesecoit.com"
Thank you.
If you wish to reprint, feel free. Please link back here and if it helps your readers, please include:
"Elese Coit is a leader in transformative personal change and Hosts the Radio Show A New Way To Handle Absolutely Everything. To see the world differently, reach for one of her '101 New Pairs of Glasses' each day on http://elesecoit.com"
Thank you.
