Reboot!

“Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” ~Hal Borland, American author and journalist (1900-1978)

I was running as hard as I could. Down the concrete sidewalk, which connected the two houses, I went. My grandfather’s big black Cadillac had turned in from McMurray Road and was headed down our long gravel driveway.

My family’s house, and that of my grandparent’s, occupied the same plot of land. We shared a common driveway with a sidewalk connecting the two homes. Ours was first, went entering from the road, so I always knew when Grandpa was coming home. Even before I saw the big, black, broad finned vehicle, I could hear the sound of the tires crunching in the gravel and the putter of the engine as he went by. Undoubtedly, he had just gotten home from Round Hill United Presbyterian Church where he was doing interim pastor work.

Having just arrived home from school, I dropped my book bag in the kitchen and headed out the back screen door, banging it as I went, hoping to beat him to his garage so I could be there to greet him. Grandpa was just getting out of the car when I arrived. He wore his quintessential black two piece suit with a white dress shirt and red patterned tie.

I came to an awkward stop, but my usual “Heh Grandpa!” caught in my throat. Silently I stood staring at the huge chrome front bumper, blinking occasionally to confirm the reality I beheld. The bumper, which had always been so perfectly formed, now had a big semi-circular indentation just to the left of center. Compensating for the stress in the middle, the ends of bumper had pushed awkwardly forward making the whole front look awkward, deformed.

“What happened Grandpa?” I blurted out. “Oh, I was visiting an old lady from the church.” “I was parked facing downhill and forgot to set the parking brake.” “When I got out of the car it rolled down the hill and ran into a tree,” he finished with a smile.

“Wow, you must have really had a bad day,” I concluded. “No, actually I had a pretty good day,” he responded and proceeded to tell me about all the good things which had happened that day including his visit with the little old “shut in”. “Let’s go in and get a glass of milk and see if Grandma baked anything today.” He held the door for me as I stepped into the breezeway and headed on into the kitchen; greeted by the aroma of Parker House rolls.

The New Year is traditionally the time to make resolutions. It is perceived as a magical window of opportunity to change our lives; to eat less, drink less, spend less, stop smoking, start exercising and better our lives in general. Within a few weeks most of us have slipped back into our old patterns, promising ourselves we’ll do better when the next “window of opportunity” comes along.

It is ironic we are so preconditioned to believe our lives are…preconditioned. If my year or month or week or day gets off on the right foot then the rest of it will go well. But woe to us if we get off on the wrong foot. Woe to us if we wake up late, spill our coffee or have a flat tire.

There is another irony here as well: one bad event seems to carry far more weight in our lives than one good event. The flat tire or the unkind word have exponentially more impact on our lives than a friend’s greeting, our spouse’s hug or the parking space we didn’t expect we would find at the mall. Sadly, the negative becomes a blockage to all the positive surrounding us.

But, life is not a roller coaster onto which we step each day, preconditioned by a few bad experiences, and my Grandfather knew this. He knew one event did not a day make. A bent bumper did not take away from the positive human interactions he experienced through out the same day. Nor did it prevent him from expressing his gratitude to his grandson (and others) for the many good things in his life.

As stewards gratitude is an important part of our daily life. We are called to be grateful for the many gifts we receive from God each and every day. So, rather than making resolutions, take every opportunity, throughout the year, to “reboot your day”. Whenever the negative experiences come, as we know they will; REBOOT. Stop for a moment and simply say “CANCEL”. More importantly when the gifts come, as they always do; REBOOT. Stop for a moment and simply say “THANK YOU GOD”.

So, as we enter this New Year, resolve to be more grateful and give negativity the REBOOT.

Dear God: Teach me gratitude.

“We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential.” ~Ellen Goodman, American columnist and Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist (b 1941)

© 2010 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.

“90 Second Stewardship” All rights are reserved. You are welcome and encouraged to forward this e-mail to family and friends provided the”© 2010 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.” is included along with this message. Organizations, whether for or non profit, are required to receive written approval before reproducing these reflections. If written approval is given the ”© 2010 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.” must be included along with this message.