The Obvious

Suzette BrawnerGeneral

I had been struggling for weeks over a yes or no decision and it had just about worn me out. It was one of those all-consuming things that takes up too much brain space. I finally broke down

PIC01595.JPG

and called a friend. For those of us who think we can handle life because we are strong and know the answers, this is very humbling.

Here was the simple answer to what I had worked into a very complicated question: “If you have a hard time figuring out if something is right or wrong, it’s most likely wrong. Maybe it’s just wrong for now but it might be right for later.” That should be on a coffee mug.

I felt a bit silly for even asking the question because the answer was so obvious. The “if in doubt, don’t” conclusion has saved me big headaches countless times since.

A few years ago I read a little book by Andy Andrews, The Noticer. The story surrounds a mysterious man named Jones who showed up just at the perfect time to encourage and hand out common sense wisdom to the main character. It reminded me, once again, I miss so much that is literally staring me in the face.

But why is the obvious so challenging to see? Are we so on task making sure we balance work, family, little league, carpool and taking out the trash that we forget to take a deep breath and actually think?

As challenging as it is to slow down, I am trying to be more aware and look for the obvious actions and answers that are in the quiet.