Posts by Pat:
Band-aids or surgery!?
What do Scotch Tape, Post-it Notes, and paper clips have in common? Each apparently has a different function, is made of a different material, and serves its own purpose.
Oh sure, you can say they’re all office supplies (and you’d be right) but we can look a little deeper for their common purpose.
Paper clips hold two or more things together for a few hours or days, and are then returned to the desk drawer.
Scotch Tape pieces are placed along the edges and on the ends of gift wrapping packages for a short period of time.
Post-It Notes are stuck to documents and computer screens suggesting that a signature is needed or some action be taken. Once the action is complete, the note is discarded.
Figured it out yet?
They are all just a temporary fix, a momentary solution to a temporary need. They are used in “reaction” to a short-term need.
Temporary fixes are also used similarly in our daily personal lives.
When our children misbehaved, we reacted with a 15-minute “time-out.” But we might have avoided that temporary fix by listening to their concerns and teaching appropriate behavior before the fact.
Then there are all the excuses we make, that we use like Band-Aids, to temporarily cover flaws in our own behavior. Wouldn’t a more permanent solution like
- performing to expectations,
- learning from past experience,
- or practicing excellence be more appropriate?
Yes, we do live in a very fast world. Quick solutions are the order of the day. Yet we eventually realize that we continually seem to need a fresh supply of Band-Aids, Scotch Tape, or paper clips.
What can we do?
By taking more time to look ahead, it is possible to eliminate many of the situations that require those one-minute Band-Aids or other “temporary” fixes.
We can avoid using a Band-Aid excuse for being late to meeting our friend by leaving the house 5 minutes earlier.
We can avoid using a Band-Aid excuse for a poorly done project by earlier having set up a timeline, broken the project into smaller steps and doing them on time (or early) so no apology or excuse will be needed.
We can avoid “boo-boos” and
- search for,
- learn, and
- practice a more permanent and proactive life!
Think of something that YOU can do to avoid unnecessary, temporary fixing!
Are squirrels really pessimists?
Nooo! I don’t want to believe it! I’ve prided myself on being an optimist! And I just know that it is good for me to think optimistically!! But… research published by the American Psychological Association last year showed that pessimists-because of their penchant for seeing life through a grim lens-take steps to improve their health, […]
Our stumbles can transform us
An interesting thought from spiritual author and teacher Marianne Williamson: “In order to create their beautiful plumage, peacocks sometimes eat thorns. Hard, pointed, razor-like objects are processed in their abdomens and then contribute to feathers with colors and shapes unmatched throughout nature for their extraordinary beauty. So it is with us. Often that which is […]
How Old is Grandma?
( How old is grandma? The answer is at the end of the article!) Today is Grandparents Day! And here’s a cute story… One day a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events. The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in […]
Did you get some right?
Here’s one of my favorite stories from 6 years ago: Little Emma is 6 years old and in first grade and it’s the end of the first week. When Mom picked her up from school, Emma bounced happily into the car. “How was school today, honey?” Immediately and very happily, Emma answered: “I had my […]
It’s that time of year again…
But it’s okay… It’s okay to be lost. It’s okay to not know-because that’s what learning is, that’s what life is. After all, it’s September and back to school time for all of us. Whether we’re in kindergarten or just a bewildered adult, life is all about the learning. And it’s not a waste […]
Can’t sleep? Think on these!
Here’s some ideas that can keep you awake at night! Why is the Lone Ranger called ‘Lone’ if he always has his friend Tonto with him? At a movie theater, which arm rest is yours? What happens to an irresistible force when it hits an immovable object? If money doesn’t grow on trees then why […]
another Zen story…
Once there was a person who wanted to relocate to a new village. Wondering if he’d like his new town, he went to consult the Zen master, “Do you think I will like this new village? Are the people nice?” The Zen master asks: “How were the people in the town where you come from?” “It […]
More than enough?
Saying that “I have enough” or “I am enough” isn’t really “enough,” even though they are useful affirmations and certainly head us in the right direction. I suggest we consider the option of replacing the word “enough” with the word “plenty.” Consider the difference in feeling and tone generated by the two phrases “I have […]
A teaching story…
One day, a famous samurai set out to find a monk who was known to be very wise. When he arrived at the monastery, he demanded of the serene man, “Tell me, you are learned in this matter. What is heaven and what is hell?” The monk turned and looked up at the warrior. “You […]