Time in mind
Patience paid off and the car, gone for so long, was returned. Time to do a good job and make an impact deserves acknowledgement and appreciation.
Sometimes it pays to wait. And wait. And wait. Four months it took to get Chantal’s car back. The gearbox collapsed on us on the 3rd of February. We got it back in working order on the 26 May. At last.
We nearly gave up on it. We were told that it couldn’t take so long to fix, that there must be someone else who could do a better job. Everyone had advice and ideas. We got used to not having it. We worked around having one car with two seats that Chantal refused to drive.
“It’s too low, it’s too fast. I’m sorry but I won’t drive it. It’s just not me,” she declared.
So it was either Uber or Matthew as Uber. When Chantal had visions of having to sell the car off for scrap, Matthew would stop her in her ruminations.
“We will get it back,” he would say, “It’s not time for it to go yet.”
That car has taken us on some memorable road trips, it has driven us to meet prospective clients, to give talks, and facilitate workshops. It has taken us to the midst of the Little Karoo to give visitors from all over the country and the world a taste of our work. It has gone from Linden to George and back again in a weekend. All with no trouble, not a flat tyre or an oil leak. It has been a solid drive. Until that third day in February when it decided that it had had enough of changing gears.
Shape of Emotion powered Emotional Fitness Classes in the Little Karoo desert.
Patience paid off
The gearbox expert was recommended to us by two people who knew cars and car parts. We put our carriage in his hands and waited. Through several concerned messages about the extent of the damage, of no-one ever seeing this kind of thing before, of trying one thing and then another, and later one more last gasp. We sighed. We murmured small car prayers. And waited.
Our patience paid off with “paid” being the operative word. It was not an inexpensive fix, as can be imagined. What the gearbox expert had to do to get the car roadworthy and driving was well worth the money and was much, much less than forking out for another car.
Sometimes you just have to trust that the best person for the job is doing their level best and that it is going to take more time than expected. Time is not always on our side but if we honour the pace, the intention, the determination and desire to do well, then the problem will be resolved. Eventually.
The long game of time and trust yields its rewards.
Honour and appreciate years of commitment
With time in mind we set off north to honour and appreciate the years of commitment and passion a valued member had given over the twenty years of her work. A surprise retirement party had been arranged for her and, as Chantal had been involved in the company some years back, we were invited.
The event, held north of Pretoria, was warm and welcoming, and a big surprise for the soon-to-be retiree. She was taken aback by the effort and attention that had gone into the planning and implementation. This was the kind of thing she always did for everybody else. Now it was her turn to receive the thoughtful gestures and careful plans with the smiles and hugs.
Honouring Rachel Solms for her impact and how she made the world a better place.
Goodbyes are as important as hello’s
Goodbyes are as important as hello’s. Everybody has an impact and their parting should not go unacknowledged. Events like these offer an opportunity to do just that. Many eschew the attention it will bring, and the discomfort it may cause them and others and choose not to do anything. Luckily in this instance our retiree was not allowed to duck away.
The tears were real, the words to and from her, true and deep. While the event will be long gone, the memories will remain. That person’s essence will stay around a while and be remembered long after she no longer walks the company passageways.
This May celebrates 15 years of being seen and heard in this circle of friendship.
What we want
Isn’t this what we all want? To be seen, heard and acknowledged? And yet we turn away and hide from it. Instead of facing the words, the smiles and tears we shy away, embarrassed. How is it that we can be embarrassed of a life well lived, energy effectively expended and creativity given for good?
Is it not time to embrace our solid and subtle impact and respect it for the good and sometimes not so good it has done? Accepting ourselves and our worth as well as the warmth that others choose to bestow upon us feeds our soul like the soft water of a spring shower. It is as important as it is necessary, in a world where we have become so disconnected and adrift, to remember that we are part of a bigger whole and that we have made a valuable contribution to it. We are matter and we do matter. So be it.
Until next time.
Yours in feeling,
Chantal & Matthew
Written by
More from Enabling the How
It’s the oats
After weeks of challenge on many fronts it felt as if a threshold had been crossed. A smoother week with resolutions and relief.
The soundtrack to our lives
Leah knows what music she likes, so do we. Music is important to us and has a useful lesson to teach too.
All is not fair
The Boks are back and it’s great to be on the winning side but a wrong call by the ref can change that and the way we feel. All is not fair so managing our state is the real job to be done.