A few years ago, I blew a tire on the West Virginia turnpike. I had traveled this highway quite often. I was moving along that afternoon, looking forward to getting home, traveling about 65 miles per hour when I hit a jagged piece of debris. With a jolt and some thumps, my tire light began flashing, and I moved immediately off the highway onto the emergency strip to my right. After settling my nerves, and thanking God for protecting me, I carefully exited the car to inspect the damage. It was a flat tire. I picked up my phone. Thankful that I had a signal, I called AAA to send someone for emergency assistance. They said it would take about an hour for them to arrive. As I waited, I walked along the strip outside my car, and looked around at the road, and the countryside, and the mountains. There was so much beauty to see that I had never seen before, even though I had passed this very point dozens of times in the past. I saw so many things for the first time that had been there all along. Because I normally was moving fast and focusing on the road, I had missed so much.
As we move through life, there is so much we miss; so much we simply don’t see and appreciate because we’re moving so fast. Friends, I encourage you to stop, look, and listen. In the still of the moment, as you linger and calm yourself, your mind will begin to settle. Like the swirling flakes in a snow globe come to rest, your thoughts will begin to still, and you will start to see beautiful things that you have previously missed. In that moment, you can consider the blessing of your life. Though you may have challenges, or even be experiencing deep sorrow and difficulty, as you allow the noise of your striving, irritations and aggravations to fade, you will begin to hear the calming voice of kindness, reason, and beauty. Stop, look, and listen. You will be amazed at what you see and hear. You will discover realities that have been there all along, but you never saw them until now.
Choosing to work with a coach is a choice to stop, look, and listen. This article is an invitation for you to have a conversation with me. As your coach, I will help you stop, and look, and listen. I will help you see things that you might otherwise miss. You will point out things to me so we can both see and understand together. Together, you and I will discover the beauty and opportunities that are right there. And you will have someone to help you define and take those first steps in pursuing those discovered opportunities. Are you ready?
