Yesterday, I spent some time with a new friend. I was his guest at a monthly luncheon that he is part of and then we drove back to my office. On the way back, we had some very good conversation. After my friend dropped me off, I went into my office feeling very good about the time spent with him.
I began to think, "What is it that makes me feel alive and that puts energy into my day? What is it that gives me encouragement, zest, or in some way just seems to add value to my day?" Here are twenty-five thoughts. These are random and in no particular order:
- Being with my wife — in a variety of settings.
- A rich time spent with God in prayer and Scripture.
- Reading a book that in some way causes me to ponder the ways of God, stretches my thinking, or gives me an "ahah" moment.
- A good cup of coffee in a place where I can think.
- Being with someone who is a lifelong learner, regardless of that person’s profession.
- Being with someone who is a good listener.
- Having the opportunity to ask a person questions about his or her life or faith journey.
- Laughing.
- Noticing the unexpected. A beautiful plant or a majestic tree.
- Hearing a small child talk about his/her day at school.
- Being with friends I trust and experiencing the ease of free conversation.
- Talking with a friend or two who I have known for many years.
- Telling stories with friends.
- Talking with my daughters or son-in-law on the telephone.
- Learning something new.
- Exercising at the gym (feeling alive after the exercise).
- Being with the people in our small group.
- Watching a great football game.
- Hearing laughter in our home.
- Having lunch or coffee with new friends.
- Having lunch or coffee with longtime friends.
- Smelling cookies that have just come out of the oven. Then, eating warm cookies and drinking cold milk.
- Looking for opportunities to express appreciation to people.
- Doing any kind of work that is completely unrelated to the work I do every day.
- When I realize that I am free to feel a certain way about a matter and do not have to take on another’s feeling about that matter (though they may like for me to).
What about you? What are some settings in which you feel alive?
Love your list–my additions:
Rocking a grandchild
hearing children sing
being on a roadtrip with my husband and my dog
watching my children be great godly parents
teaching someone the gospel, watching as it clicks and their heart softens and feeling my heart cheer when they become my brother or sister
working in the nursing home and truly helping someone
Great list, brother
PeaceNeva
I am energized by many of the same things you are–learning new things, being with lifelong learners, reading a book that makes me think, talking with friends (one on one is best–too many and it is still fun, but becomes energy draining rather than energy giving), smelling cookies baking (bread too), noticing the unexpected, laughing.
I would add: accomplishing/figuring out a challenging task; the aha moment when something makes sense; helping people who are very different and misunderstanding each other begin to see things "the other way"; scrapbooking; playing piano; being with people who understand the way I am and dono’t think I’m strange; learning things about other cultures and people who are different from me and making connections to that with my life; sunny, but cool days when I lay in my hammock, reading, hearing the birds, feeling the breeze; taking communion by myself with God at the beach when the sun is rising; sitting on my front porch and watching the full moon rise or my back porch watching a flaming sunset.
As an introvert trying to recover from burnout, energy-giving moments are something that I do not take for granted.
Recently I went back to Indiana and found my way back to a cabin in the woods where once I lived. I climbed the hills and fought my way through the undergrowth protecting the fringes of the sanctuary to a small clearing where I could stand. There I stood quietly, listening through the silence until it slowly gave way to the life of the woods: dew dripping off leaves in the canopy far above my head, trees slowly and softly bending and expanding in the coolness and warmth of the day, and the imperceptible breeze that flowed like a stream through the branches and leaves. Listening to the life around me – the soft, non-intrusive life of a deep woods – I became aware of the life within me. Not the hurried, bustling, jostling life that now consumes me, but the "still, small voice" of a simple life to which I am called.
My recent exciting moment is running through the water spinkler with my kids!
Replace the mentions of coffee with Dr. Pepper. Omit the exercise stuff (I do walk a lot) and I enjoy many of the same things. I would add to my list my grandson, only a month old, but completely captivating to the list. Otherwise, whether or not your list is in any particular order, I’d keep the number one where it is!
When i awake and see my wife asleep beside me; when i go walking at six in the morning and inhale the fresh air God provided; being with my church family; talking to my mother on the phone; spending time with my inlaws.. having meaningful dicusssions with friends… helping someone in need….
Neva–a great list!
Gallagher– That one brings back memories…
Mike– Listening to your description, I felt as if I were in the woods. A wonderful moment.
Greg– a lot of grandparents will ditto what you said.
Thank you Bryan.
Eclexia–I like your list. I agree completely with what you said regarding the importance of energy giving moments.
Great list! I especially liked the last one. Just this week, I realized I’m finally able to do that and it is very freeing!
Your list echoes mine in a great many areas, I would add: lying on my back with my wife atop a mountain looking into the night sky and watching for shooting stars. (after 22 years together it is still a moment of intense spiritual joy to share the wonder of God’s universe together; and the wonderful smell of the early morning in a tack room.
Hello Iain,Wow! Lying on top of the mountain gazing at the starts. That sounds like a wonderful moment!Thanks for your comment Iain.