Sometimes I Sits and Think, and Sometimes I just Sits…
When I began traveling with my husband, Tim, a manufacturer’s representative, I was determined to do many things to make his/our travels more enjoyable. I left my position of 18 years as the director of a local Habitat for Humanity affiliate to be his travel buddy. When I left that position, I jokingly told Tim I was going to need to direct something and I was definitely going to need a title! A relative overheard this conversation and in jest spouted out “Director of Happiness”. It stuck and the pressure was suddenly on to live up to such a title!
At the top of my happiness list was my determination to introduce Tim to the idea of listening to music while driving long hours across our territory. This man can ride for hours and enjoy listening to only one soundtrack…the hum of the air conditioner! As the new Director of Happiness, I wasn’t having any part in that.
I’m no singer, and those who know me well would affirm this, but boy do I sound beautiful (I bet you do too) while riding down the road bellowing out my favorite tunes. I have convinced myself on quite a few occasions that I was surely on the way to stardom after a long trip and hours of making a joyful noise.
I quickly realized Tim was okay with the music idea, but my singing was a different story. So, in an effort to keep my new happiness title, I find myself, from time to time, caving in and actually enjoying the quiet mind-numbing hum of the air conditioner!
One particular day, a long way from home and in the middle of nowhere, while waiting for a train to pass and quietly listening to the hum, Tim looked over and posed the question, “What are you thinking about?”.
I remember when we first started dating him asking me this same question and feeling a bit put on the spot and like I surely needed to answer with something wise, but this particular day my reply was, “Nothing, what are you thinking about?”. His reply was, “Nothing, that’s why I asked you, so I could think about what you’re thinking about!”. Don’t we all find ourselves from
time to time thinking about absolutely nothing?
It reminded me of the little plaque that for years hung in my Grandmother’s bathroom (yes, over the toilet). It simply said, “Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits”. Based on a quick google search of this little quote, it seems there is some controversy as to the author, but the saying has been around for a very long time.
Since last March we’ve all done quite a bit of sitting. If I had to guess you are like us and have found yourself sitting and thinking about when things get back to what we all consider normal. We’ve used some of our sitting time to think about ways we can serve our customers and companies we represent in the best way possible, even if it’s remotely and while safely sitting in place.
I think you would agree with me, more than ever before, that we are very fortunate to work in the outdoor industry. We’ve all found a new appreciation for our outdoor spaces. Like so many of you, our outdoor space has been a refuge, a much-needed change of scenery (when there has been no travel), and a place to safely distance and enjoy the people we love.
Like everyone else, we’re expectantly looking forward to 2021, and of course, hoping for an end to the pandemic. Meanwhile, I hope you will allow yourself to sometimes sit and think… and even give yourself a little time to just sits.