Covid Is Not A Time Out

In thinking about the past several months, I am reminded of this “Oldie But Goodie” post.  So here it is updated and reposted with it’s relevance to the Pandemic in mind.  Perhaps it should have been sent earlier, yet it’s still relevant.*  It’s always relevant because all of us have probably taken a “time out” at sometime, or wish we could.  So it’s a valuable reminder to all, anytime and all of the time.

With all of the restrictions still upon us during this pandemic, we have to be careful not to view it as a time out.  It is easy to turn this into an excuse to “take a break” or a “time out”.  Rather, see it as another opportunity, perhaps disguised, to learn and grow .

No Time Outs

The most important moment of all is Right Now!  That being said, we know that every moment is precious and counts.  Every precious moment counts and goes by whether we choose to participate or not.

 “You may delay, but time will not.” – Benjamin Franklin

“The day will happen whether or not you get up.” – John Ciardi

 “We cannot put off living until we are ready.” – Jose Ortega y Gasset

“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” – Charles Darwin

An athlete competes and is alive during a competition. Then there is training and preparing. In between training and competing, there are time-outs.  There are also time-outs during the competition.

In life there are no time-outs.  The proverbial exceptions to this rule are sleep (although a case can be made that sleep is part of preparing) and an appropriate mourning period.

There are moments when we might wish for a time-out.  If we were to take one, then we are not fully alive during those lost moments.  How often have you said, or heard someone say, “I’m in a place in my life” or “I need to work on myself”? That’s asking for a time-out in a game where there are none. It’s like walking off the field in the middle of the game and watching the game go on from the sidelines.

 “Life is like playing the violin solo in public and learning the instrument as you go”. – Samuel Butler

This mindset is often the result of a tragic event and/or an epiphany that wrong choices have consistently been made producing negative results. This is a natural and understandable emotional response.  To not allow this emotional response to control you, remember that everything happens for a reason. Therefore, everyone you come into contact with today and tomorrow is for a reason. That person may need something from you, or need to give you something you need.

That can’t happen if you are not on the field and you have taken yourself out of the game.  If you temporarily take yourself out of the game, then you are at best delaying the discovery of your purpose and fulfilling your potential for the benefit of one or all.

If your reason for “working on yourself” is so that you may be the person you were created and wish to be, then you can’t be a spectator of life. You need to be “working on yourself” in and during the game. The rest of us need you to play to your potential. If not we all lose.

A woman was considering taking a sabbatical from her teaching profession to travel and look for the meaning of life. She went to see her spiritual leader, a man known as The Rebbe, for advice. This is what he said to her,

“When you find the meaning of life, will you have enough time left to live a meaningful life? Better to live a meaningful life and find meaning along the way”. – Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson

For those who take themselves out of the game of love, consider that a person presented to you may be the one and…

“If that plane leaves the ground and you’re not with him, you’ll regret it. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.” – Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine in Casablanca

If you have been taking a “time out” during this period, Life as your coach is calling you back in the game.  The team needs you!

Be Good Do Good Think Good Be Healthy

*I would have put this out sooner but I was taking a time out 😀