When you come into our space, you relax. Obviously. And sometimes you talk. And while MOST of what you say is held in confidence between you and to whom you were speaking, sometimes we have to share.
Warning: if you’re going to get all philosophical and wise and Confucius-y, it is our duty to spread your words near and far.
Recently one of you (Hi, Gloria!) said to Abbegale, “everyone you meet is an assignment”.
Whoa. Abbegale was moved enough by this she had to share it with me. And I’ve been MARINATING on it ever since. It is beautiful, it is accurate, it is perfection. And it is a challenge.
Some assignments are fun and warm and fuzzy and make me feel like I’m being enlightened and moved to an entirely new level of meaningful living. Hallelujah.
But often, very often, assignments are grueling and exhausting and frustrating and make me want to jab my eyeballs with pointy things. God help me.
Both are inevitable parts of life and it’s up to me to use these assignments in my continuing education. I can coast through, accepting the fewest assignments possible and choosing the ones I find easiest, or I can open myself up for extra credit, learn everything I can, and dare to take on lessons I don’t think I can handle.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 38 years, it’s that the best, most life changing lessons are always the hardest, reserved only for those who are willing to fight and struggle to learn them.
I can confidently say opening a business in which we closely interact with a huge variety of people, often in very intimate ways, has challenged all of us to seek out the parts and stories from others that teach us the most about ourselves. That open our eyes and challenge our hearts to be bigger and softer.
Eye opening and heart softening are tough assignments. But I’m totally okay with giving myself an E for effort. Even if that’s the best I can do today.