Thank You for the Funeral - Whoever You Were
What I hadn't counted on was that this was no ordinary funeral procession. It went on and on and on. The traffic light had already cycled twice, the police motorcycle was still blocking the intersection and there was no end in sight to the procession of cars with little purple flags. I could feel my temperature rising. How in the world could one funeral procession have so many cars?! Didn't "they" realize how much this was going to tie up traffic for those of us still alive? Couldn't they have picked a less-traveled route? Couldn't they at least drive a bit faster? After all, I (like many other people, I was sure) had places to go, people to meet and things to do!
Still no luck. After about five minutes, I actually started counting and the procession was now at 97 cars! I glanced at my watch, pounded my steering wheel and started wondering how I was going to explain to my client why I was 15 minutes late. I didn't have her cell phone number so I couldn't call her. I was just plain out of luck. No amount of frustration was going to change the situation. So I took my hands off the steering wheel, put my car in park and sat back in my seat and sighed.
It was only in letting go of my frustration that a different emotion began to nudge its way into my consciousness. Slowly, I began to wonder who this person might have been. How old were they when they died? Was it a man or a woman? More interestingly, what did they do professionally and were they involved with civic activities or philanthropies, as well? And just how many friends did they have? Certainly no family could have been this big! Hmmm. What kind of life must this person have lived and how many other lives must they have touched for this many people to come, pay their respects and say their final good-byes? And then I wondered how I could have ever gotten so busy that I didn't wonder these questions right away.
The end to this story is not nearly as interesting or dramatic as the lesson that came from it. I ended up being about 10 minutes late for lunch and after a quick, "Sorry, I got stuck behind a funeral procession", my client and I had a wonderful lunch and discussed the business at hand. When I went back outside afterward, the sky somehow seemed a bit bluer than it had before, the fall air a bit crisper and the sun a bit brighter. The personal journey and epiphany I had been through beforehand had somehow brought me back to a healthier place...a place I've tried very hard to memorize the route back to whenever the pace of life gets a little too frantic.
This Thanksgiving week, see if you can find your own "healthy place". Stop, disengage from the rat race, and notice the little things that people do that are special and unique. When you're with family and friends, resist the occasional urge to judge, critique and evaluate (although it's so hard NOT to do with family sometimes)...just experience and enjoy their company. And the next time you find yourself waiting for a funeral procession - whether there are 10 cars or 100 - pause for just a moment and wonder what good that person might have contributed to the world. Hopefully, people will one day wonder the same about you and me as we take our final drive across town.
Related Tags: mental health, frustration, letting go, taking time out, epiphany, rat race
Paul Meshanko - The Attitude Strategist, is a motivational speaker, author and business owner who understands that it's not what you think but how you think that determines your success in life.
While many speakers entertain, Paul helps audiences understand that being more productive and fulfilled, in any aspect of life, requires more than a feel-good diversion. It involves a change in thought processes and attitudes.
In 1997, after a successful 12-year career with Honeywell Automotive, Paul opened the Edge Learning Institute's Cleveland sales office. Since then, he has provided motivational keynote presentations and leadership, staff and group development programs to companies nationwide. He has inspired over 500,000 people in 20 countries and is consistently rated a "best in class" speaker.
Paul's speaking themes focus on client needs and include organizational culture, workplace diversity, personal effectiveness, change management, teambuilding and work-life balance.
Visit Paul's website at www.paulmeshanko.com or contact him directly at 888-892-0300.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- The Resurgence of Fred Perry Clothing
Summer might long be over and Wimbledon may be a distant memory, however the fashion is a year round - Uncovering Men's Tank Tops
I don't know a thing about you, but I'll bet that you have worn a tank top. Tank tops have also been - Make Use of Silk Scarves to Take Good Care of Your Skin
In the event you are new about silk scarves, you could never read about this particular feature of s - Just For Men Scarves - the Preference For Guys in the Vogue Domain
If you are not certain what style of present you could provide for men, maybe you can consider men s - Think Black Friday Shopping is Beyond Your Budget?
Moms who are juggling the bills and still trying to provide the perfect holiday gift to loved ones a - How to Make Conscious Shopping Choices
Many people have heard the phrase "voting with your dollars" and they understand that it means your - Silk Scarves - Unique Present Approach in Xmas Seasons
The most prevalent silk add-on is scarves, and many focus is presented on inspired designing on thes - Benefits of an Aloe Vera Shampoo
A lot of people are not aware of the specific benefits that using an aloe vera shampoo can do to the - How Effective is the Power of Your Subconscious Mind?
Most people are bombarded with this thought whenever they feel weak and wish to affect certain chang - Silk Scarf - the Record For Human Being in the Style History
Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries the worldwide recognition of silk scarves developed dramatica
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Surf and Turf: the Race Track
Surf and Turf: The Race TrackOne of the favorite places for The G to hang out at, especially in Summ - Are You Looking For Cholesterol Drugs Without Side Effect?
High cholesterol level is probably one of the widely spread complication among Americans. Almost for - Friday the 13th could be a lucky day?
Friday the 13th sounds unlucky ? Traditional superstition ? And a lot of people dislike it and beli - Don't Judge A Man
Our world is full of bad tongues, fault-finders, gossipers, mockers, and insulters but do these grou - When Personalized Gifts Make a Difference
Finding the right gifts for a particular occasion is always a challenging task. Sometimes it is nic - Managing My Resistance: Learning To Flow With What Life Offers
One of the things that interests me most about conflict is the tendency to resist it and the ways in - What Are Horoscopes Based On?
If you do not know much about astrology, you may wonder what are horoscopes based on and how astrolo - 7 Dumbest Relationship Mistakes Smart People Make
We often find ourselves amid the wreckage of a love gone wrong, wringing our hands and asking, "Why - Motivation as the heart of self improvement
You should be able to find several indispensable facts about Motivation in the following paragraphs - Is Complete Abstinence from Use of Paychoactive Substances Necessary for Recovery?
Can a sober alcoholic in recovery who has no history of abuse of marijuana, use marijuana without