urgent, but not important

Technology is great! It's great at stressing me out. I notice I'm not the only one wearing the stress hat. It seems everyone is in a stress mode. As a matter of fact it has gone from a hat to entire wardrobe. The cell phone seems to be the biggest culprit. Driving down the street yesterday I met 3 cars coming from the opposite direction. Every driver was on the cell phone. I was at physical therapy and the gentleman next to me couldn't get his therapy done, because his cell seemed to be the most urgent task he had to accomplish. Yes we are in partnership with our cell phones. We are a society of urgency. The cell phone demands immediate action. My daughter stops by to visit and it's usually a three way conversation. My daughter, the person on her cell and I. See, I am usually confused because I am trying to communicate with her by addressing the conversation she's having with the person on the phone. In between breathes she makes a remark to me or asks a question. Did she hear my answer? I have no clue. And so it goes with other members of my family. When I sit down to this awesome feast I have prepared (and i can cook) and they don't show up because they missed the invitation for giving mystery person all the attention. The loss is theirs. We lose so much of our humanity because a small electrical gadget has become master. This is not a put down. I do the same thing when ever I remember to turn on my cell. Have you ever turned off you phone for one day? Try it. Folks will freak when they can't get ahold of you. Trust me it's energizing. Pushing that off button returns so much control to you. You'll have so much free time. Time to convers with the real master . Try it and feel the power. God is important, church is important, family is important. Turn off the urgent box and enjoy the important.

Ice Breaker

Hello,
Great things happened in 2007 for me. In 2008, I'm expecting the great things to come to fruition. Before I go on let me tell you that I'm a writer and a speaker. I'm a member of Toastmasters International Communications. I'm a member, and the president of Toastmasters Club 211 here in Amarillo. For those of you that aren't familiar with Toastmaters, it is a program that helps you improve your communication and leadership skills, it helps you develop better speaking and presentation skills. I invite you to be my guest on Tuesday nights at 6:30. We meet at the Atrium on I-40 and Coulter. Walk in the front doors go left to the last room on your left and ask for me. We meet every Tuesday night. It is not only a fun evening, but an informative one. Oh yes, and about my writing, well lets see. I'll let you read an excert and judge for yourself. The title of the book is Finding the True Self. I took this project on as a challenge by Dee Burks and Liz Raglan, authors of Picks & Shovels. I have also submitted a manuscript to Writer's Digest short story competition. Results will be announced in Feb. Now about that excert. I start my manuscript with a Native American story. One evening an old Cherokee Indian tells his grandson about a battle that goes on inside of people. He said my son the battle is between two wolves inside all of us. One is evil. It's anger, fear, envy, jealousy, regret, greed, arrogance, self pity, resentment, false pride, addiction, suicide, oppression and immorality. The other one is good. It's love, joy, happiness, peace, hope, serenity, humilty, kindness, truth, compassion, benevolence, empathy, faith, poitive-thinking and self discipline. The wolves battle it out every day. Then the old man got quiet. The grandson thought about what his granfather had just said then asked Grandfather which wolf wins? The old cherokee Indian simply said-----the one you feed my son, the one you feed. My book is not about surviving life's tragedies. Surviving is the easy part. It's about going to the next level. It is about thriving inspite of them. It is about how to recognize that adversities are really blessing turned inside out. Once you recognize this, you will advance to the next level. It is at this level that you will understand that happiness and joy are two distinct paths feed by one source. It's at this point that you discover the true self. From then on you will know which wolf you will continue to feed. For now ,Suzi the thriver has left the building.