“There’s a way to do it better – find it.” Thomas Edison
There is a parable used to help addicts but it has wide applicability to everyone. It goes like this- a boat full of joyful people launches from the dock. They notice a woman running down the banks of the river trying to catch the boat, so she jumped in to swim towards the boat. She swam with everything she had then started to go under. Everyone on board was encouraging her to keep swimming, to not give up and yelled, “DROP THE ROCK”. She heard the calls and felt a heavy pulling on her neck. She knew it was Her Rock, she had spent a lifetime carrying it around, polishing it and did not like when people criticized HER ROCK. It finally occurred to her after going under few times… this thing around her neck was preventing her from what she really wanted, to get on the boat. When she finally DROPPED The ROCK, she was stunned by how easy it was to get to the boat. The rock symbolizes her addiction, but it could mean anything that interferes with our wellbeing such as resentments, over working, our need to be right, or self-pity.
‘DROP THE ROCK’ is a shorthand to notice our shortcomings and develop the best possible attitude we can have in this lifetime- to drop that which is not serving us. It is not always a one-time matter but a surrender on a regular basis to stay teachable, curious and humble- we are not born with these traits, they can be learned. We can drop old ideas. We can accept life preservers. We can ‘DROP THE ROCK.’
Drop The Rock: A Pathway to Wellbeing
Wellbeing Stuff I’ve Come Across
A Docu-series on what to do about our mental health Crisis. The trailer is compelling and its on my que to watch! .
Ways people improved the quality of their life so much they wished they had done it sooner. A list worth reading.
My Favorites?
- Permanently placed my phone on Do Not Disturb (allow calls from Contacts).
- Buying a wardrobe of good quality, properly fitting clothing that I actually like.
- Getting a Roomba
- Having separate blankets for each spouse (no more cover hogs)
13 Over-rated Virtues- by “the Miniminliasts” A thoughtful look at virtues that are not always noble.
Finally as a send off to summer, a fascinating video on the World’s Most Unique Beaches
Keep it simple, Eileen
Very good!