It is Labor Day, when most of the town is enjoying the final minutes of summer and the silence of their neighborhood. Tomorrow the cars, the noise and the news resume their cacophony and become the stressful soundtrack of our lives. Starting Friday, he goes into workshop mode spending 16 of the next 23 days as a trainer and facilitator in search of answers to his third big question how much workshopping he might want to do whenever he retires.
But today, unless you're buried in beach traffic, there is a silence worthy of a cathedral, so Lance spent it harvesting more of the "takeaway blessings" of the last two months of his journey.
Here is what he has gleaned so far:
He rediscovered the Reverie of Life that he remembered from his earlier life.
He became comfortable with his 60 year old body and knows better what it can and cannot do.
He looked at his workplace as an outsider and can better appreciate its role in the community.
He learned who he missed and who missed him. It was surprising.
He knows his true friends are those with whom he can search for truth and meaning, not gossip.
He lived for two months while not being the center of anything and did just fine.
He found out who he is when he doesn't have to be someone else. He exists outside of his roles.
He started and finished full thoughts, expected surprises, and took interesting highway exits.
He had surprisingly few regrets about the decisions he made when was completely on his own.
He learned to unclench his jaw, his chest and his brain. He found stress and worry useless.
He renewed all of his individual and collective family relationships, now based in the present.
He fully "owns" himself again and knows where and how he has strayed in the past.
He launched and embraced the 3.0 chapter of life, neither fearing nor avoiding its challenges.
He became comfortable as a student of himself. He'll be a better mentor to others for it.
He has much to be grateful for in the past, much to celebrate in the present and much to look forward to in the future.
He focused on the wonder of moments today instead of just the dreams of tomorrow.
He liked walking across the "stream of life" on the stones hidden just beneath the surface.
He envies no one, anymore.
He is convinced this sabbatical came at the right time of his life, for the right amount of time, anchored by the right critical questions.
And while Lance is is acutely aware that any one of these "takeaways" could fill an entire blog unto itself, on Labor Day who wants to work that hard? Happy Un-labor Day !
Lot of good points...this has been an interesting experience for those of us living it vicariously -- thanks for that!
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