Hey, ya’ll! It’s HUMP day! Hope you’ve had a good first half of the week and the rest is a bit on the chill side. In the meantime I found something else to think about from “If… (Questions for the Game of Life)”.
Now you might think from the title of this blog that I’m talking about something material. But nope. Material possessions are transient. Here today, gone tomorrow, you can’t take ’em with, and all those cliches… There are far many other things in our lives that are more important. Today’s question wants to know about one of them.
If you had to choose the single most valuable thing you ever learned, what would it be?
Geez… I could make a whole list of things. Especially since I’m a s-l-o-w learner and seem to need to repeat a LOT of that learning process! But if I had to choose one lesson in particular, it’s the importance of CONNECTION — that being fully present with a person when you’re with them.
My kids taught me that. And I’m still not great at it. But I’ve learned that when I sit down to talk to them I’d best put down my book, stop blogging, even stop cooking dinner if needs be. Why? I can multitask just fine! But I can’t look them in the eyes and let them know I’m hearing what they’re saying if my attention is all over the place.
Yes, we learn through the years what things we can slide on and what things we can’t, but we also can hear when there’s something at stake in a conversation. And I believe whole-heartedly when someone has something important to say, if they don’t feel like it was received by the listener, they don’t feel they made a connection and they go away still burdened by what they need to communicate. And I, myself, may have lost something important in the transaction. Does that make sense?
What about you guys? What important lessons have you learned over the years? Lessons that have impacted you in an indelible way?
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You may think this TED Talk is about horses, but it’s about so much more!
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Picture Source:
Pearl — Valuable/Vulnerable | Gulf Air Falcon Cargo
Fully Present — Blanchard LeaderChat
Impromptu Promptlings 
“The joy is in the journey, not the destination.” While it is a bit cliche’, it is something that I am learning–I’ve always been in a hurry to do this or do that, or get here or get there, or planning and stressing ahead for the next stage of something–and I didn’t slow down and enjoy the process that it took to accomplish all of that. Another great post! Dawn
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Well you’ve certainly been on a big journey! How’s that going, btw? Where are you now?
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We are in Asheville for a couple more days and then a stop in Ohio on the way up to Michigan to see family and friends. It’s been exciting so far! 🙂
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How long has it been now?
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I think that being present and in the moment with others is very important and I’ve been enjoying doing this more recently with the summer holidays being here. Two phrases my mum used that I tend to live by are “you can only try your best” and “you’re not any better than anyone else and they’re not better than you.” I think both have kept me sort of laid back and grounded 🙂
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I like your second saying. None of us are better, just different. (That’s from the movie “Eddie and the Cruisers” and it’s always stuck with me. Not a direct quote, however. 🙂 )
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I don’t think I have any slogans at the ready, life for me is constant learning.
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I think that’s the best way to stay young (at least at heart)!
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I’m a survivor ..stronger then I ever thought possible 😔
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Yes you are, girlfriend! Your inner strength lights you up like a Christmas tree! 😀
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awwww….trying to keep shining on C…btw..working on the laptop…so much to figure out with this baby!!! 🙂
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I hope you don’t have a hard time. Arn thought it was pretty easy to set up. Let me know when you get there!
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Believe in Yourself. Sounds a bit selfish, but it has taken me a long time (too long) to learn this…and yours on connection makes perfect sense…thanks for a thought-provoking post.
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I think you picked one of the hardest ones for me, Jeanne. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever get there. It doesn’t sound a bit selfish. It sounds necessary!
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