“Many of us are afraid to set priorities that honor self. We worry and fear that we will disappoint others by putting our priorities over theirs. To the best of your ability, stay true to your own priorities, and leave it to others to respect you for doing so.” I read this on www.quiltedonline.com/to-do, shortly after realizing that I set my priorities all wrong today.
I drove 3 hours to get from Sea Ranch to San Francisco for what was going to be a 2:00 – 2:30 meeting with our cabinet installer and cabinet designer, because the designer’s priorities were other meetings with other clients as well as commitments in her personal life . . . and because she’s never been available to meet with me at my convenience. Early last week, she’d offered this two o’clock Friday time slot as her only available time over a two-week period.
To make it to the meeting on time, I called my latte “breakfast,” had to skip a quilt guild meeting, and drove the winding coastal highway assertively, with no rest stop, and no lunch. When I arrived, it turns out she’d gotten there early, inspected the damaged cabinets, and left already. And via email afterwards, she said she didn’t even accomplish what she’d gone there for because it “wasn’t the best day for it.”
I was angry at her, and felt very disrespected. But there’s a lesson here for me!
I wasn’t being true to myself to even TRY to go to all that effort for a half-hour meeting. When I’d prayed this morning about whether to drive down to the meeting, I received some guidance that suggested I not go, but it wasn’t crystal clear. I decided to go—out of perceived obligation and fear that without my input, mistakes wouldn’t be rectified. Not good motivation — and I knew that! Next time, I’ll spend another few minutes listening, and heed what I hear! Then my priorities will honor my true self, as guided by Spirit and my heart.
I’ve also focused this week on the verse saying that there’s a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Apparently, today wasn’t the time for the particular purpose which my decision honored, regardless whether that meeting to resolve the cabinet problem was actually a purpose sanctioned by heaven!
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