Experience

the REST of the week #72

Hello. It’s the rest of the week. What would you like to rest from right now?

Do you ever feel like you could relax and rest if only you were a little more experienced?

Field of yellow starthistle plants, Walla Walla, Washington

Like that mom who rescued her toddler from choking to death while dining at a local restaurant.

Have you heard that story?

Several mothers were enjoying some uninterrupted conversation while their children devoured the kids’ meal—until one child gasped, became silent, and began to lose color.

Mom paused in mid-sentence and calmly reached over to pull the child onto her lap. Tilting him downwards, she administered a few quick blows to his midback. As if on cue, the offending food particle ejected from the child’s mouth, and everyone went back to doing what they’d been doing as if nothing of consequence had occurred.

It’s important to mention this woman was not a first time mom. She had over a decade of experience and was in the thick of raising enough children to have her own basketball team.

That’s the joy of being experienced. You know how to respond—because there are few categorical emergencies you haven’t encountered. You’ve been there. You’ve done that. You know how to make it through.

Or maybe you know that you will make it through—and that’s enough.

The difficult, dangerous, and discouraging things look different (feel different?) in the context of familiarity.

• Parenting

• Teaching

• Running a business/practice

• Moving for the 10th time

• Working as a first responder

• Speaking up front

• Performing

• Studying something new

• Designing, building a structure

• Listening and reframing

• Writing a book

• Tackling a marathon, climbing cliffs, sky-diving, whitewater rafting

What have been your repeated experiences? What things have you faced, gone through, and persisted in—so much so that they are familiar and you know that you know you can do it again?

May your hard earned experience invite you to rest.

And may you also rest with the truth that all those many things that are still new, unfamiliar, and challenging either will not last forever, or will change as you continue gaining experience—as you become experienced.

Until next week, most of all, may your rest be sweet,

Alicia