As we begin the new year, I like to reflect on the previous. This gives opportunity to be grateful for the amazing experiences of the past and look forward to more of the same without overlooking the now. My most important goal for this year is to streamline my schedule so I can appreciate the now as it unfolds… To be present, always.
Do you ever have moments when you are doing something while thinking about something else? It seems strange that you can live the ‘Now’ on auto pilot while being consumed in your head with another thought or many other thoughts. How is this possible? Even while doing something so complex as driving… Making split second decisions and corrections driving a vehicle while being completely consumed by another thought. This is crazy!
Sometimes these distractions get me into a mess. Last year while I was doing a simple machine operation on the lathe I was distracted by ‘thinking ahead’ to the next procedure. My mind was ahead of my ‘now’ and I made a huge mistake! My glove got caught in the spinning shaft in the lathe and it started to wrap around the shaft and pull my fingers into the machine. The lathe was spinning at 710 RPM ( pretty fast ) as I pulled back it tore the end off my middle finger and took a deep bite from my thumb and other fingers involved. This all happened in a fraction of a second but the results I will feel for a lifetime.
I look back on this moment as a fortunate lesson. I was careless and distracted all by myself, I simply got ‘ahead of myself’ and for the next few months following it was hard to forget as my fingers healed. Thankfully no permanent damage! Hopefully a permanent lesson that I will not forget.
Best to you,
