Barnes and Noble loves me. Why? I am one of those people who are always searching for the perfect book or tool to help them get through those tough days. I can’t just put on jogging shoes, run a quick 5 miles and then *POOF* I am serene. I CAN eat my way through a whole bag of Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles chips and then *POOF* I am fatter; but that doesn’t seem to help with my depression.
So recently, I found another self help book Now Is The Way by Cory Allen. Now, I have only gotten to the first page of the Forward section, but already I think it has changed my life. In this first, all important paragraph, the writer of the Foreward section is talking about Cory and he is describing him as someone who is always “present”. In fact, he states that he hasn’t ever looked into his friends eyes and asked “Where is Cory?” It was right there that it hit me; I leave conversations and moments in my everyday life ALL OF THE TIME! I go back to the past, I invent scenarios in the future, I even rewrite history many times so that it fits my mood, all while I am in a moment with someone.
Have you ever done that? Have you ever been in a conversation or situation with someone and instead of just taking the moments as they are, you think back to how they might of looked at you cross-wise before or the tone they used with you three weekends ago when you asked them if they wanted the last Heath bar in the bag? I do that all of the time. I hold on for dear life to past and future moments.
And the future moments, well, since I become the writer, director and producer of that little piece of film, the people I am talking with are so damn dramatic. And mean. And petty. When, in fact, they really aren’t. Well, some aren’t. And this isn’t fair. I can’t imagine what the rest of Cory’s book has for me but it is promising.
So next time, if you are in a conversation with me and you see my eyes glass over and I seem to be drifting in and out, ask me where I am. Make sure I am there, taking in you how you are right then and there; not back in a time when things were tense between us. Either that, or check my blood sugar and give me the last Heath bar when I ask for it!
The Bad Example 