Choices

It's been a frantic couple of weeks with curve balls and surprises and twists and turns in this ol' journey of my life.

I have been struck over and over again as I have negotiated some of the hurdles of the last couple of weeks that each and every time something comes up I have a choice about how to respond.

I have tried (and failed on numerous occasions) to make the choice about how to react before the reaction is automatic.

I want to choose wisely, to choose carefully, to take my time, to reflect gratitude.....

I succeed less than I would like.

But this week I did catch myself a couple of times and altered my reaction before it left my mouth.

Did I curse yell at my fellow Richmond drivers. Yes I did.
Did I rage at ungrateful people who whined. Not out loud.
Did I blow up at my students who skipped class.  Yip.

So I have some work to do on re-framing my reactions.

On trying to see the deeper things at play, the hidden message behind the flash reaction.

"Curious" rather than "Furious"......as my Mother would say.

Cultivating the disposition of observation and reflection before reaction.

I think I am getting there...... slowly but surely.