Taking Your Place in the New Year
In Christchurch, New Zealand, there is a unique memorial. It consists of dozens of white chairs, all of different types and sizes. Each chair represents a person. Each person lost their life suddenly and unexpectedly from the infamous earthquake of 2011.
The quake struck without warning. It left as soon as it came, but not without claiming 185 lives. People were buried underneath the rubble of buildings that were an everyday part of their lives. Everything changed in 10 seconds.
This tragedy reminds us that life can be fragile. Perhaps it is even a good reminder that every day is a good day to start fresh. These were people who were routinely going about life, getting lunch, running errands, out for a leisurely walk, and suddenly, everything is gone. Families are disrupted. Lives are lost. The damage is done.
It causes one to really contemplate on life. The reality of this disaster really puts into question the importance of the moment of now. This moment we are in can be taken in a flash.
What are we spending it on? How are we using our moments?
I have been blessed to have a business in New Zealand and family here. It was all affected by the 2011 quake and God spared our family with only buildings being disrupted. I have also been blessed with amazing people working on Cali'flour Foods so I could leave the country this Christmas and take time to be with the family. Time to slow down, eat amazing healthy food, visit family and take in the beauty of this country.
The people of New Zealand, they call themselves "Kiwi's", have this crazy habit where they actually take vacations. From mid December and most of January is a time where many Kiwis are off on holiday (their summer). It may sound weird, but maybe this is a good thing. Maybe, in some strange way, this is a normal thing, and we’ve created a new norm of busy-ness.
Maybe, just maybe, there is a life happening all around us that is being drowned out by the demands of technology, work, and distractions.
This can be the year we change that. This can be the epoch of genuine human connection. If we could take our seats, sit in our chairs that are unique to us and engage in the world around us, how would we act? What would the 185 souls say if they could? Those same people who lost their lives so suddenly they couldn’t escape?
We don’t have to wait for a new year to start engaging in our world, with our people. But it’s a good time to start. Why is that?
Because anytime is a good time to start.
And the time is now.
We have said before, it’s a “New Year, New You” kind of thing for 2017. But sometimes, making the “new” happen takes an honest look at the old.
What do you want to change? What’s keeping you from experiencing and engaging the world around you? If you lost it all, what would you do if you could take your place and start again, with a fresh concept of how temporary our lives are?
We have been gifted so much talent, time, opportunity, and more. Let’s do something with it. New Year, New You looks different for everyone.
What does it look like to you?
