Priorities...

Often, we listen without truly hearing.  We anticipate what will be said and formulate a response without an understanding of the meaning.  Our lack of ‘getting it’ through the spoken word applies just as much to the written word.  We read without true comprehension.

How many of us have heard, after a critical illness or death, “I wish I would have said I love you more”, “I should have taken more time to just be with them”, “I wish I had one more day with them”

We read posts on social media, “Tomorrow Is Promised To No One”, “Say I Love You Everyday”, “Remain In Gratitude”.

Few of us ever really take these ideas to heart.

We are busy taking care of a whole host of tasks; work, school, spouses, children, family, friends and all the extraneous issues that go along with them.

Just as we view road signs as we are driving, “One Way Do Not Enter”, “Slow Road Curves Ahead”, we may consider that when we hear about someone’s passing and the guilt that is voiced over not spending enough time with them, or, reading one of those posts, “Live Each Day to the Fullest”, “Make Every Day Matter” as signs for us on our life’s journey…I like to call them Spiritual Road Signs.

Recognize those Spiritual Road Signs as you journey on your life’s path.

Years ago, a friend of mine shared a saying that her Husband was fond of, “Not in my hula hoop”.  My friend’s Husband would use this analogy for any issue that he felt did not directly impact him or the people he considered a priority in his life.  In his ‘hula hoop’ there was room for his Wife and his Children.  Any issue that existed beyond the borders of his ‘hula hoop’ he was not going to invest time in.

Here is something to consider – who and what is in your hula hoop?  Where do your priorities lie?

Busily working long hours to provide for your family is admirable, but, if after work you find yourself so exhausted that you are decompressing in front of the t.v. and falling asleep or if your find yourself having to have a drink or two to take the edge off, then your logic is flawed – the very people that you are working so hard to provide for do not have your time and attention.

I’ve known about the ‘hula hoop’ analogy for a few years now but was remiss in not applying it to my own life.  The juggling that I was doing between being a business owner, wife, mother, daughter, friend, and student was not working for me, my health, or my family.  I did not listen to those signs that I was given along the way. 

If, when discussing an issue with a family member or friend, you find the same theme occurring time and again, that may be a Spiritual Road Sign.

Sometimes God (Source, The Universe) taps us on the shoulder, gently reminding us that we are not on our best path, and sometimes God (Source, The Universe) knocks us to our knees…and we have no choice but to consider altering the way we have been doing things and our priorities.

Here, on this site, I have referred to several of these Spiritual Road Signs that I have experienced.  The question of “Have you done the work?” resonates through the article titled “Responsibility”, “When We Know Better We Do Better” is the theme of “Knowing Better”, “Looking Up” and “Enough” are taken from my own life experiences…some of the experiences have been life altering, “Offering Love” is based  on my experience with a critically ill child…some not so very serious but meaningful all the same.

My suggestion is that we should take the lessons learned from others to heart. We should contemplate them and see if they apply to our own lives.

I didn’t always feel this way…I do now…it should not take a critically ill child to put your priorities in line.  Learn from my experience.  Examine your ‘hula hoop’ and see who and what you’ve chosen to impact your life.  

My hope for you all is that you are able to see and apply those Spiritual Road Signs as you journey on your life path.