Good Morning and Welcome to Tuesday....and 11 more sleeps 'til Christmas 🎄
It's not often I'm lost for words – but this morning, it’s taking me a little longer to pull my blog together.
Yesterday, JB and I found out that we had lost one of our special friends to complications caused by Covid19.
We were super fortunate to have met this incredible lady and her husband earlier this year, who very quickly became our friends. They absolutely loved the Outer Banks and had been coming here with their family for many years, (there was also some Scottish heritage there too, so lots of conversations about my homeland). In fact, we were looking forward to celebrating “Hogmanay” (Scottish New Year) with them this year.
This post is not meant to make you sad…. it’s a reminder to celebrate life, and the precious time we have with our family and friends 😊
It is all too easy at this time of year to get caught up in who can buy the biggest present, the most expensive present, the most “wanted” gift this year, stressing out about finances, family feuds, politics, what we don’t have, what we can’t afford, how we're going to pay our credit card bills (post-Christmas splurge), and I’m sure you could add many more...
....When you already have the most beautiful and precious gift you could ever give……. the gift of time with those you love…. even if it’s only a few minutes on the phone, as you live miles apart, and travel isn’t an option – please just make the time.
Over the years, there are times when I was so completely consumed by my career, (which is super easy to do when you love your job!), I always wanted to be available to any member of my teams or their teams (of which at times was over 400 people!), any time they needed me. If I wasn’t in my office, I was always available by phone any time of the day or night, I always wanted to have my work deliverables met, make time for yet another meeting.... I thought that this was the right thing to do - in hindsight…. maybe not - I should have triaged my time better.
The price for my availability and great career was huge……the sacrifice of time with my family and friends – time I can never get back. Even when I would actually spend time with my family, I was generally still working (even if it was just trying to solve work issues out in my head), I was always distracted.
But instead of throwing a “pity party” about this lost time, and the relationships that may not be as healthy as they should have been, I made a conscious decision to change the priorities of how I spend my time moving forward - to make time for my incredible family, friends and myself, and to fully engage with life 😊
As for careers, whilst I still think this is a vital component of many of our lives – and is even better when we enjoy our work lives, and feel we are making a difference….I would urge you to take a quick stock-take/inventory check of how you spend your time, and be sure you are truly making the most of that time.
If you are - Congratulations, and well done....enjoy💕, but, if not, why not start right now….
What an awesome Christmas gift to your family, friends and to yourself...one that no amount of money can buy - the gift of Time with You....You really do deserve it, and so do they!
My pictures today are of the Point at the end of Pole Road in Hatteras, where the sound meets the sea.... and was the favorite place for our beautiful and very special friend....💗
Until next time,
Take care, Stay Safe, Hug your close ones a little tighter, and let them know their loved.....and make that time today 💗
Love and Hugs
Pam
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Im so sorry for the loss of your friend.