Outlook on the New Year

I hope the events of this month are not an indication of what my year will be like. I have noticed my awareness and concentration levels are not as good as they used to be. If you know me very well, you will know that they were never very good :). So that means I'm in a bit of trouble!!!

I started off the New Year struggling to lock the door of the house as I left for church on Sunday morning. That would be Sunday, January 3. During the course of the struggle, I dropped my guitar. I did not stop and open the case to see if there was any damage. I guess I was afraid of what I might find. I picked up the case, put it in the car, and continued on to church. When I got there, I found I did a little damage. I felt sick, emotionally and physically. I mean, this was my first and only guitar, that I've had for close to 30 years. How could I be so stupid? Why didn't I just put it down? I have always been so careful with it and was even considering buying a better case since the one I had, had the habit of popping open. The one buckle right by the handle often slipped and the case would pop open. Even though the surface area of the damage was small, it was still my guitar. I thought about how careless I was with something that was supposed to be so important to me.

This experience made me realize how I take so many things for granted. Not only possessions I have but people, family, and friends. I decided I needed to think more about this and be more careful with those things and people that have so much meaning in my life. I guess I should consider myself lucky since my guitar is still playable. My next step was to find out how much it would cost to repair. Word got around and two days later I was presented with a new Takamine guitar with a pick up, built in tuner and the Cadillac of all cases. This was and still is difficult for me to accept. I brought the guitar home and put it in my room. It sat there for a week, in the case, that I would just look at. Finally, I took it out, strummed a couple of chords and put it right back and there it sat for a few more days. I talked to a few people about the struggle I was having accepting such a gift and finally decided I needed to keep it. So on January 14 I brought it to choir practice and on January 17 I played it for the first time at church. I still struggle with the thoughtfulness and generosity of this gift.

It is a wonderful thing. However I am afraid I have not yet learned my lesson. I wonder if anyone will find it in their heart or in their treasure chest to buy me a new car now? :)

Yup, coming home today I had a little fender bender because I was paying more attention to the accident across the road than to my own driving. So tomorrow during my lunch hour I'll be heading to a body shop to get a price on the damages. It is not a big deal as far as the car goes. A bit of a dent just below the drivers side blinker and the blinker lens is broken. The blinker still works though. As I said, the car is not the big deal, it is the mind that is the big deal. WHERE WAS IT? I mean, I'm pretty sure everyone knows you can't continue looking left when you are driving in traffic. H-e-l-l-o!!!

I pray this is not what the rest of 2010 will be like. The thought for the day, week, month and year:

Remember to treat with care, all that is precious to you!