Have you ever had a day that didn’t go as planned. I am right there with you. Today just a few minutes after leaving the house to head off to complete several business errands my wife called and said “Ayla (my daughter) has a doctor’s appointment in 5 minutes.” The alarms on our phones are usually set a day in advance for such occasions, not this time. She called the doctor to see about rescheduling and no luck, next appointment is in 45 days. If we can get her signed in by 9:30 they will keep the appointment. It was 9:15 and I was clear across town. I raced over and made. Fortunately the appointment only took an hour and half.
With one call my morning plans were changed. I am sure this has happened to you with your kids, job, a client canceling etc. It’s in these moments that I realize my reaction is what is most important. The way I react is what causes the stress not the event. I could have chosen to be angry and upset all morning or be glad I can be there to comfort my daughter as the doctor looks in here ears (she is two and hates that, this was the ear doctor). After a few moments of frustration I chose to thankful.
In these moments I am always reminded of what Wayne Dyer said “Be like a palm tree.” Living in a city with lots of palm trees I think on this often. Next time you see footage of a town after a hurricane notice the palm trees. You will see mighty oak trees broken in half or uprooted, but the palm trees remain. Palms are extremely flexible and during the storm bend with the wind. The oak tree on the other hand is rigid and is firm in its stance. The strength of the oak can only take so much until it is damaged. The palm will bend and bend until the storm passes. Once the storm is gone the palm will stand up right and continue to grow.
Be the palm tree, be flexible, bend with storms. They will pass. The only things a broken oak is good for are mulch and firewood. Your family needs you to stand tall after storms. Just like storms strengthen a palm they will strengthen you.
Joseph Cortez 