Every day I’m reminded that, if we want to bring our best self to the world, it’s important to pay attention to the details.
A few days ago, he-who-shall-not-be-named went shopping and bought a box of soda. Soda box was opened and placed on top of the fridge. Enter Kimberly. Kimberly innocently opens the fridge to get herself a delicious cold beverage when… Thwack! Five cans of soda come rolling out of the box above her head, nearly knocking her out and exploding into a sticky mess when they hit the floor. Needless to say, Kimberly was not in her happy place at the time.
Now one can look at the evidence and conclude that:
(a) Somebody has it out for Kimberly and this was an attempt on her life; or
(b) Someone had mindlessly put the box of soda on top of the fridge with the cans oriented vertically (the rolling way) instead of horizontally (the standing way).
While there’s is a very slight possibility that Kimberly triggered a latent murderous tendency in he-who-shall-not-be-named, let’s assume, for the moment, that the answer is (b). Mindlessness. The dude just wasn’t thinking.
This is life, right. We do things, often without thinking, and there are consequences. We have a lot going on, our brains are busy and full, and a percentage of near-fatal mistakes are to be expected.
Except here’s the deal: If we want to make a positive impact, not a painful one, we need to be more vigilant.
Whether it’s with our words, our body language, or our actions, how we show up in the world matters. Even the smallest gesture or glance (any eye-rollers reading this?) can communicate volumes. If you need to lead or influence, the details matter.
Because when it comes to impact, it shouldn’t hurt.
Ha! Another reason not to keep soda in the house. Seriously, though, I’m with you 100% on the details. Take how my wife and i view loading the dishwasher differently. Or making the bed. Or vacuuming. Well, maybe I shouldn’t go there. Details matters and they can be the fuel for curiosity. If we note how things are and how they could be, we can become increasingly curious. Thanks for this impactful piece.
Kimberly, I am sorry to read about what happened to you. It is important to make a positive impact on the world even more so in these times where ugliness and hate prevail.
Thanks so much, Joel!
You are welcome, Kimberly
I’m so relieved you weren’t taken out by a can of soda, Kimberly! What a wonderful, comical, honest reminder to pay attention to the details in our lives-the feng shui of our spaces-placement of belongings-to the way we interact with one another. I often told my kids that life happens in the nuance, in the tiny moments of being with another person. This also makes remember this wonderful quote from the beloved poet, Mary Oliver, “To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.” “Ten times a day something happens to me like this – some strengthening throb of amazement – some good sweet empathic ping and swell. This is the first, the wildest and the wisest thing I know: that the soul exists and is built entirely out of attentiveness.”
Thank you for the vivid story (I can completely relate!!) and important reminder!! “When it comes to impact, it shouldn’t hurt.” Indeed. And brave communication may include a moment of emotional sting (like a prick from the needle when you are having blood drawn)-yet, once that self-aware part of us takes a moment to look and reflect- the insight or feedback that initially felt a bit ouchie can open up a whole new world. 🙂
There you go again, Laura! This was just…awesome. I will hold onto this for some time: “…life happens in the nuance, in the tiny moments of being with another person.”
Kimberly, your story is lighthearted but packs a big punch! Thanks for sharing it with us, and I’m glad that you did not sustain an injury during the falling can incident. I chuckled when reading this because last night I had a bit of a mishap in the kitchen. We had been doing food prep for the week, and it was nearing late afternoon. I pulled one small thing out of the dish rack, and the next thing I knew, the whole thing flipped over, and glass went flying. It was a moment. And I wondered if he who should not be named was conspiring against me.
How we show up does matter. In a scenario that could have played out several ways, I’m grateful that both my husband and I showed up to resolve it – and with laughter to boot!
Oh Laura, I think we’ve been channeling one another! It’s that showing up with laughter that makes all the difference. I have to remind myself constantly to not take myself or life too seriously.
An eye roller married to a world class eye roller – I tell her that someday she and her best friend will have to be institutionalized because their eyes will be stuck in the back of their heads and they shan’t be able to see anymore. She tells me that I have the worst poker face – think “Jim” from “The Office,” looking at the camera during scenes from that great sitcom – he is saying nothing, but his face says volumes. My eye brows get in the act too, sneaking skyward at THE worst times. This is just so profound, Kimberly, it really does show that we can’t just sleep walk through life and expect to be effective, on top of things and ready to respond. I have learned NOT to multitask, and as a male, we seem to be, if gender assumptions can be made – not being very good at single tasking. If I try to multitask, the chances are very good that multiple ends will not be tied up. If I single task, I can do the one thing through to completion, probably. I’m glad that you weren’t injured, and that no family members died in the investigation phase. Life does get messy sometimes, and I am so glad that you shared some of your messiness with us.
I am laughing out loud at your household eye-roll competition, Tom! I’m not much of an eye roller, but every emotion shows on my face, which can be a big problem. I’ve a terrible, terrible poker face.
Kimberly – Short, sweet, and filled with valuable advice presented with humor so it will stick with us. So well done. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much, Len. What a thoughtful thing to say. I so appreciate you taking the time to read it and join the conversation!
Kimberly thank you for sharing a seemingly funny anecdote, but it did make me pause to think, on its “funniness and its seriousness”
I guess everything we do in our daily lives has some effect, some impact. Strange as it may seem, we do think in generalities but live in the details.
“Could anything be better than this Waking up every day knowing that lots of people are smiling because you chose to impact lives, making the world a better place.” Anyaele Sam Chiyson
I would agree, Jonathan, there isn’t anything better! If we want to make an impact, we have to think about the details!
OK, this is hilarious, Kimberly! Love how you wrote it — sorry you HAD to write it because he-who-shall-not-be-named was careless — but yes. The devil IS in the details!
Because when it comes to impact, it shouldn’t hurt. Amen, sister!
The details are your gift to the world, Susan!