All Psyched Up: Lessons learned
By Medicine Hat News on December 1, 2017.
I recently lost a few pounds and decided that because of this, it was a good time to go through my closet. One of the surprises I experienced was to find a lovely pair of black pants that I had forgotten about. So, I washed them and was happy to find that they weren’t too tight in the waist. Last Wednesday I was invited out for lunch and decided to wear them. Everything was fine until after the meal when I started walking towards my car in downtown Medicine Hat. My pants felt strange and I didn’t realize what was happening until they were at my knees! When I looked up I noticed that there were people coming towards me but they were still about a block away so I thought I could make it to my car without them noticing. I had a fairly heavy purse in my left hand so I quickly reached down with the right hand and yanked the waistline upwards. When I arrived at the car, however, I still had my purse in the left hand and had to use my right hand to put the key in the door. My pants dropped mid-way between my knees and ankles! Now many people would likely have been horrified in a similar situation but I just got the giggles! As soon as I got home I sent a text message to all my children and grandchildren telling what had happened. For three hours they made comments back and forth and we all had good laughs. Well, there are many lessons to be learned from an experience like this: 1. We all have blessings that we might miss if we don’t pay attention. You probably own clothing, books, or other treasures that you have forgotten about. Look around and be blessed. 2. Don’t make assumptions. Just because you think that something fits or works doesn’t mean that it will be practical or serve its purpose well. I should have spent more time ensuring that the waistline was beyond being comfortable — it was too loose! 3. Life gives us opportunities to choose our emotions. We choose to feel happy, sad, guilty, or embarrassed. In this case, I chose to laugh. 4. Family members are never too busy to have fun. Often we ask the same questions and have difficult starting or maintaining a conversation with younger generations. Tell them a funny story or get into their world of interests and they have lots of time to participate! 5. Relationships are often strengthened by sharing trivial adventures. We have all had crazy things happen but don’t share them because we feel vulnerable. It’s OK. Vulnerability opens channels for good communication. I am not afraid of publishing this story because I know that every reader has had something similar happen to them and will relate. 6. Most difficulties can be resolved. When I got home, I just put a new elastic in the waistband! 7. There is always a “next time.” I will be more diligent in the future and make sure that there is less risk of another “incident.” As we step into the Christmas season, let’s adopt the lessons we have learned in life so we can combine practicality with joy! Dr. Linda Hancock, the author of “Life is An AdventureÉevery step of the way” and “Open for Business Success” is a Registered Psychologist who has a private practice in Medicine Hat. She can be reached at 403-529-6877or through email office@drlindahancock.com 15-14
