Hello SuperForesters!
It is a sunny Monday here in Ottawa and I am enjoying a rare day off, after returning from a weekend away at my cousin’s wedding. Before I venture out into the sunny streets I wanted to share with you a mantra and a lesson I’ve been practicing and learning lately, and share an example of how it came up for me this weekend.
I traveled to the U S of A this weekend to celebrate my cousin’s wedding to his lovely bride, and much family fun was had by all. It was quite a beautiful wedding, with many messages of love, respect and trust. Weddings are good like that, whether or not you believe in the formality of it all, you find yourself sitting in a church (or other setting) listening to people talk openly and honestly about love in all of its forms.
Receptions are full of family and friends dancing, smiling, laughing, hugging, kissing, and expressing candid feelings left and right. It makes me wonder why we do not act like this every day, not just during special occasions!? It was lovely nonetheless.
Lately I’ve been very busy, and with my Type A personality, at times I have to remind myself to breathe and not let things get me riled up. One mantra that has helped me is to remind myself to:
React With Love.
Sometimes I write it on the little chalkboard in my bathroom, sometimes I repeat it over and over, and sometimes I write it down on paper. Whatever works, SuperForesters!
On my travels this weekend, I experienced one flight cancellation and one delayed flight. In general this would not be a huge problem as usually when I’m traveling my plans are not time-sensitive, but with this wedding weekend, time was of the essence. When I heard about my flight cancellation, I was able to catch myself in a moment when the former me might have verbally expressed my frustrations. Instead, I realized this was something out of my control, but what was within my control was my reaction to it. It was not the airline staff’s fault that my flight had been cancelled — it was really nobody’s fault at all! Mother Nature just decided that all flights in and out of Chicago weren’t going to happen. So, I breathed, and I reminded myself to react with love. Instantly I felt so much more calm and my travels went smoothly from then on.
Although I arrived late and missed the rehearsal dinner, I was still welcomed with open arms by family and new friends, and enjoyed a festive evening. On my way back home yesterday, I checked in to find out that my flight had been delayed, and that I would have a short time to connect to my next flight home. Standing in line with a friendly chap from Minneapolis, we laughed and smiled and joked about the whole situation, of which his travel plans were more seriously derailed. We both agreed, why worry about it? There is always a solution and getting upset really would not change things. The only thing getting upset would do, would be to upset ourselves. Who wants that? Exactly.
As the handsome airline staff told me, “Don’t worry, you’ll have enough time to connect” — I really believed him and trusted that all would work out as it should. Once I landed at O’Hare, I told my little boots to git runnin’ and I made it, cheeks flushed, adrenaline pumping, to my gate in time for boarding.
I am learning, SuperForest, to react with love to all situations. It can only make things better.
Gratefully yours,
SuperForester Heather
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