We had quite drama in my local town last night and sadly we we part of it.
My partner and I were just falling asleep when the phone rang and it was a friend of ours calling to let us know that the shop next to my partner’s shop was seriously on fire and that we probably ought to get down there right away.
So he was up and out of bed and off to the shop. When he first got there, the flames were high and there was so much smoke that he called me and said that it may get all the businesses (it’s a little precinct with around 15 businesses in) and that he’d keep me posted.
Thankfully he then called again 30 minutes later to say that the 60+ fire crew had managed to contain the blaze and it only one of the shops was completely burnt out, with another couple of buildings having water, heat and/or smoke damage.
He arrived home again about 1am and we got to sleep, ready for a reasonably early start and him going off to assess the damage and start helping with the clear up.
During the time he was at the fire and not in communication, it got me thinking how much ‘stuff’ there actually is at the shop. Sure there’s the stock but there’s also the computer systems, there’s the things you build up after being in a place for over 15 years, there’s the few things we have in the store room as it’s handy to get at and yet still out of the way.
But then there’s even more than that. There’s 15 years of customers, of memories and of people interacting. Friendships made and many sales done.
A shop, as with all in our lives, is so much more than what it is on the surface and we all could do with a close call every now and then to make us realise that and then re-think how we’re doing things and so make changes to improve.
There are of course changes that include making sure your insurance is up to date, checking your data is backed-up off site somewhere safe and other such things. But there’s also the question of, what would you save if you literally had just a moment to decide?
Lots of people have faced this same question with the floods that have impacted in the UK, not forgetting of course some of the horrendous things happening across the world with typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes etc.
So perhaps you can take a moment to really think.
What would you want if you had just a moment to leave your home and your life and is it accessible should the need arise? If not, why not?
Where would you go? Who would you call? What would you do?
Now you can’t answer all these questions now, but you can think about your life and what is most important. Look deep inside and find what you care about most.
Are you spending enough time and giving enough positive attention and love to the ones you hold dearest?
Are you doing things that you love every day in your life?
Are you fully living in the moment?
What can you change today to ensure that you’re on the path to the tomorrow that you dream about?
Take 5 minutes to just consider these things and then take action to ensure that you are doing what you love, with who you love. Life is too short and too unexpected to do otherwise.
Get out there and give of and to yourself for the betterment of life.
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Author: Sophie Jewry
http://www.theholisticdirectory.co.uk
The Holistic Journal 