Snooze Button Eye-Opener

I admit to using the invention of the snooze button and often postpone my daily initiatives by nine minutes. It hardly seems worth the effort when I re-read that sentence. Anyway, I have noticed an interesting quirk.

There are some mornings when I just can’t get my head around the fact that I’m already hearing the second reminder. I question whether I truly used the snooze or just dreamed it. My investigation reveals that apparently, these nine minutes have somehow taken only as much time as the nine seconds it took to check. Groggily I fall out of bed, not happy and completely disorientated.

And then there are instances whereby I am waiting ‘forever’ for the second intrusion to begin its racket.  It would then seem logical to just get out of bed instead of choosing to wait for the inevitable. 

But I wait.

Perhaps someday I will analyze the possible reasons that one morning starts out so very much different from another. For now, I will just vaguely describe this as perspective; mindset if you will.

I must then consider that future-me is subject to the same influence. I suspect that this thing called perspective plays a big role in everything I do and think!

Just me?

Well, I found this interesting quote from James Clear (Author: Atomic Habits) when he writes, 

"The longer you're a teacher, 

the less you remember what it is like to be a student.

The longer you're a doctor, 

the less you remember what it is like to be a patient.

The longer you're a coach, 

the less you remember what it is like to be a player.

Change positions. A new perspective can improve your old methods."

Looking back, I realize that last week’s article was all about changing positions. Listening to Shawndra Lucas’ Spoken-Word was just a bit foreign to my normal thought process. But I allowed a viewpoint outside of my own to influence my own. I grew up a little that day.

The Christian calendar begins Holy Week with Palm Sunday today.

I am hoping that I can change my position and discover how to see and learn something more. I am praying that I can be open (mind, body, and soul) to truly experience this week.  I am seeking to be part of the crowd, to be a first-hand witness to the events as they unfold in front of me. I wish to leave behind the role of a distant observer in favor of an in-the-moment participant. I want to close my eyes and hear the words of people around me, see the events as they unfold, and smell the wood-burning fire in the courtyard of the high priest's house. I want to be close enough to note Peter's face as he hears the rooster.

The longer you’ve been listening to the passion story, 

the less you remember what it was like the first time you heard it.

The longer you’ve been listening to these ancient stories, 

the less you remember the impact they provide.

The longer you’ve been observing the rituals, 

the less you remember the lessons.

Change positions. Place yourself in the stories. 

A new perspective might reignite your soul.