The Tomcat Blog: Shifting into Neutral (Just for a moment)

Hi Folks, I hope you’re having a great day. Myself, well I’m doing fine. It’s Sunday night and I’m finishing up a busy weekend (got to go to work in about an hour, another 10 hrs. of overtime coming, already did 6hrs. OT on Friday night). Looking back on the past week it’s been a bit hectic and looking forward it doesn’t look any better. Life is trying to consume me again but I’ve got a few tricks to fight it off. Maybe they could help you if you feel life is coming at you a bit fast at times.

My first little trick is pure goof (and my wife hates them). I have a certain pair of shoes I wear when I’m working on a project around the house or in the woodshop. If things aren’t working out or I start to get frustrated I look down at them and think to myself, “You’re a fifty year-old man, look at your shoes. Don’t take yourself so serious… No one else is.” That gives me the fifteen second break to clear my thoughts and get back to what I was doing.

Next is what I call my five minute vacation (I use this at work). I was given a little book that I keep in my lunch bag, it has condensed stories from the bible and traditions of the catholic faith, each story is only one page long. When I get the feeling I don’t want to be here right now I flip the book open to just about any page and go away for a few moments. Things don’t seem so bad when I get back.

Finally, I know every week I’ll have an hour and a half of absolute peace with myself and the world, this is when I attend mass on Sunday morning (or sometimes Saturday night). This is my time to enter sanctuary, to take refuge from the troubles of the world.

You may or may not be religious but it’s something I do and something I look forward to. I think it’s an attitude thing with me, I started attending mass just over two years ago (guess that’s when the light flicked on for me). Before, I thought of going to church as something I was being pressured to do and me being the kind of person I was, when I encountered pressure I pressed back. Now I look at it as my time, something for me, a gift of serenity.

These are just the little things I use to make it through the days. The little things to keep life in the proper perspective. For you it could be a painting on the wall that gives you that little break or a small book of quotes that takes you away for just a few moments. You may find taking a fifteen minute walk around the block or in a park a time or two each week refreshes you and gives you the moments of peace you need in your life. Either way I hope you find something that helps you shift into neutral (even if just for a moment).

The TOMCAT

Mr. Seau I’m sorry you didn’t find the peace in your life that you were seeking.

In memory of Tiaina Baul “Junior” Seau, Jr.