The Five Minute Rule

Years ago, my sister and I coined the phrase "Five Minute Rule". The purpose of it was to enjoy every day as a whole and leave out any upsetting parts. If we all look at our daily lives, for the most part, they are happy and well run. But each day has some kind of monkey wrench thrown into it. Whether is was something that was said at work, or done at home, or even someones fleeting attitude in a store. I used to say that I wake up happy every day, until someone comes along and ruins it. Hence, the five minute rule. If we could have the ability to erase the worst five minutes of each day, life would be beautiful. Erase it, strike it from your memory, pretend it never happened and just continue the day as normal. This rule is well suited for friends, family and employees. The only catch is that you really have to stick to the rule. No lingering animosity or grudge holding. Wipe the chosen five minutes from your memory bank and continue the day. Many happy occasions were saved by this rule and it serves it's purpose as well now as it did 20 years ago. Try it. You will be happy you did!

Vacation

It is almost Summer! After having a rough winter, it is now the time to think about going on vacation. While vacations are wonderful, there are a certain group of people that should never leave their jobs for an extended period of time. These people coast along all year and do minimal job duties. Just enough to fly under the radar unnoticed. They do enough not to raise a red flag, but in reality, it is a shoddy job. This is where vacation comes in. If you are out sick for a day or two, no one else takes over your responsibilities. They know you will be back soon. When you go on vacation for a week or more, someone needs to pick up the slack. That is when all of the skeletons come falling out of the closet. Some people go on vacation and do not have a job to come back to. If someone else is going to be taking over your work load , you better have things in order. So, to all of the people that just "get by" all year, maybe you need to re think leaving for more than 2 days. If you are lazy at work all year, you have already been "on vacation"!

Que Sera, Sera

Que Sera, Sera, whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Que Sera, Sera. These are the lyrics from the 1956 song, recorded by Doris Day. They hold as true today as they did then. How much say do we really have in our lives. I think that while we are all masters of our destinies, some things are not for us to control. The fact is that our lives unfold before us and we can only guide the way. Years ago, I used to worry, more than I should have, about everything. Then I came to realize that whether or not I worried, the outcome would be the same. I learned to relax. It was not easy to learn. I had to use these skills recently. My healthcare insurance was cut off last week due to the employer not paying for it. This affected 6,000 people. For the first time in my life, I did not let this bump in the road upset me. I knew that I was not in control and no matter how much I carried on, this was not something I could remedy. I took it in stride and hoped for the best. Yesterday, I found out that the employer has made a contingency plan. There is no lapse in coverage, although the insurance carrier has changed. Had I gone back to my old ways, I would have made myself sick over this. I went with the flow and things turned out OK. Que Sera, Sera..........................

Niagra Falls

Years ago, there was a skit by Abbott and Costello, named Niagra Falls. Whenever the word "Niagra Falls" was said, it made Costello turn around and become possessed....Slowly I turn, step by step, was the catch phrase and then he went wild. We all have our Niagra Falls. It is a word or a situation that just sets us off and make us angry. I know the buttons to push with certain friends and family members and I have to admit that sometimes I knowingly press them. I have recently realized what my Niagra Falls is. It is disrespect. It became clear to me when I saw how my son reacted to someone the other day. I saw myself in him. We both would do anything for anyone, but if you disrespect or dismiss us as being ignorant...... watch out!! We discussed this and laughed. Now that we are aware of our trigger, will be careful not to pull it.

Homing Pigeons

We are a technological civilization. We have turned over most of our basic daily thinking to computers. Our children no longer know how to add without the use of a calculator. If I give my parents a running list of numbers and ask them to tally them, they will have the answer in one minute. Bear in mind they are both 88 years old. Give this same list to a teenager and they will ask for a calculator. Go into a store and give the cashier $11 for a $6 order and they will think you have made an error. They do not realize that you want a five dollar bill back. We are old school. The same goes for directions. When I am asked if something is on the Northern or Southern side of the street, I know the answer. Nowadays without a GPS no one would know how to get home. Now I will get the point of this blog. Yesterday, I had to go pick up a new air conditioner. It was Memorial Day and I did not realize that there would be town parades closing the roads. After the air conditioner was loaded, the exit to the main street was blocked off. I was re routed down small unfamiliar roads. I do not have a GPS so I was on my own. I know East from West, so I just followed all roads West. I found my way home, just like a homing pigeon, in the same amount of time it would have normally taken. I hope I never lose my natural skills!

Heaven and Faith

I was saddened the other day when I found out that an acquaintance of mine was diagnosed with cancer. By the time the diagnosis was made, the prognosis was not good. He is a man that has always lead a good, clean life. Who knows why, or how, someone gets cancer. In this case it might have been 9/11, but no ones knows for sure. Once a diagnosis has been made and friends and family are notified, in a way, the grieving process begins. It is only normal to ponder "why him". What will happen to his family. How will life be, knowing that in the near future, a person will be missing from your life. We are a society of Faith and Religion. Whatever religion we choose to worship our G-d, we are worshiping the same entity. Our religion is either inherited or one we have chosen that  best suits us. If we are true believers, then we have to rely on our faith and be confident that when a loved one passes, they are going to a better place. Isn't that what Faith is all about? We spend our lives embracing  the concept of Heaven and a Better Place. But when reality hits home, it is a tough thought to bear. Death only effects the living. If we have true Faith, we should feel comforted by the belief that our loved ones will be well cared for in the Afterlife.

Helicopters

I hate the sound of helicopters. To me, that sound means trouble. This morning I was awakened by that unmistakeable roar. It is the heavy sound of a whirling motor, vibrating above your head. In my town, when you hear that noise, it means that a crime has occurred. Either a prisoner has escaped from the county jail, or a crime has taken place that needs the police to be overhead surveying the perimeter. When I was outside walking Shelby, I saw the helicopter hovering. Just frozen in the air, not moving. My daughter-in-law, who lives in the same town, texted me. She told me not to go to the shopping center, as a policeman had been shot early this morning. My stomach did a flip flop. I know the policemen in this town. I asked her if he was alive.She then responded that he was shot in the leg while doing a car stop. He will be OK. In reality, could anyone ever be OK after being shot? I will find out the details of what occurred later today but it is still unsettling. I hope I do not hear that sound again for a long time.