In A Shot Of Optimism, Uncategorized

I love Sundays, especially when it’s cool enough to enjoy the paper on the porch.  Last Sunday was the day when my good friends Lisa, Dawn and I had a call.  We check in about our work, our lives and our thoughts on the state of the world.  We ruminate, celebrate and commiserate.  We don’t say do this or don’t do that.  However, we frequently ask questions and offer invitations to consider.

Over the years, since we’ve been doing this, we’ve all had moments we wanted to celebrate – a new job, a new baby, a good decision.  We’ve also had moments of sharing sadness – the loss of a parent, a divorce, a disappointment.  I rarely come to these calls with an agenda and this Sunday was no different…and yet it was.

I woke up Sunday morning feeling unsettled in ways I couldn’t put my finger on – one part sadness, another part fear, another part regret (talk about a useless emotion), self-recrimination and a pinch of melancholy.

I’m down to the last push before two weeks on the road doing great work with great clients.  Significant unplanned happenings both personal and professional had derailed my carefully blocked out schedule.  A potential financial windfall now seemed unlikely.  And although the pain in my hip was just a pulled muscle and my husband’s unexplained swelling on his face was probably just a reaction to new soap, they somehow seemed to be harbingers of our decrepitude and a reminder of our own mortality!  Still, this didn’t explain my confused and confusing feelings.

As I talked to my friends, my voice broke.  As I continued to talk and cry, they listened without judgment or advice, they simply created a space for me to hear myself and at last I did.  Knowing me well Lisa said, Why don’t you go write.  That’s always been something that brings you clarity. I did and it did.

Of course both assured me of their love and support and their willingness to help me in whatever way would be helpful.  And I know they would.  But they had already given me the most powerful gift – a place to be vulnerable and a place to be heard.

So when you find a friend in high emotion: listen, listen and listen some more.  If you are the one in state of high emotion, find a friend and ask them to just listen.  You’ll both be amazed by its power.

Until next Tuesday.

Elizabeth

Contact Us

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Not readable? Change text.