This morning I tried to log on to the network at work, and was unable to connect to the Internet. My computer hadn't severed the connection from my personal network from yesterday. I knew what I had to do in order to restore the connection. It's a process all the tech heads are familiar with - "release and renew". It's where you tell the computer to let go of the old Internet connection and re-establish a new connection.
It got me to thinking, there are probably many areas in my life that could use a "release and renew" process. We humans tend to hold on to things for longer than they are useful, and it's impossible for us to receive anything better when we are attached to what's already here. The scary part is the part between the "release" and the "renewal" - this is the step that usually feels like falling or stepping into the dark. It's not usually an instantaneous renewal or replacement. There's usually a period of uncertainty and doubt that demands we continue to step out in faith with no guarantee of what the "renewed" connection is going to look like. But inevitably, if we've done the work and truly released what we were holding onto, the new connection always gives us what we need and serves us in a better, purer way.
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My friend Linda Walling posted this comment to Facebook and it resulted in a great clarification, so I wanted to share it here:
Linda Walling- I don't know Art. Seems to me that the best things in life really are free. My time and effort are not costs. They are actually gifts to me and from me.
Art Gangel- Thanks for taking the time to comment, Linda. Regarding your comment, I appreciate your perspective and challenge. It helped me consider what I mean and how it differs from what you're talking about.
I totally agree the best things in life are free. I would call this category "birthrights", things like life itself, unconditional love, and the joy of our very existence and experiences. They can't be earned because they are given freely as gifts.
However, there is another category that I would call "personal desires", things that we strive for that are distinct from the things anyone else on earth strives for, and for very personal reasons. It could be material things, but of course we know that people only want stuff because of the good feelings they believe that stuff will provide. Most of the time, they are accomplishments, like learning a new skill, losing weight/getting into shape, moving into a new job, or saving for a special purchase. These things are not "givens", they need to be planned for and pursued. As such, when we accomplish those goals, we feel a sense of accomplishment, as we should. But in order to get there, we need to invest our finite resources of time, money, and effort in intentional ways, or they just won't happen on their own.
So perhaps a better label than "cost" is "investment" - we need to pay attention to the way we're investing these precious resources (and therefore not investing them in some other good things) if we ever want to actually accomplish any of our heart's desires.
I'm looking forward to continuing this discussion with you. Please let me know how this hits you. God bless!
Linda Walling- Thanks for the further explanation, Art. What you say makes sense to me. Always good to share with you.
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