Your agenda is important.
Your issues, trials, tribulations, strife, successes,
collaborations, family, friends,
and resilience mean something to you and to others.

Last week I saw a Tweet that read, “Please don’t bring your agenda today. Bring your love, prayers, heart and support to those who have been hurt and are hurting.”

The first part of the tweet, for some reason, stayed with me.  “Please don’t bring your agenda today.”  I assume only the best intentions by the tweeter.  Something, though, kept bringing me back to those words.

I remembered a conversation I had (nearly 40 years ago) with a chaplain. On that day I had sought Bob’s counsel about an issue that was bothering me. I remember saying to him that I felt a bit silly talking to him about such a small issue.  (And since I have absolutely no recollection of the issue I brought—I’m sure it was small.)

I said, as a way of apologizing for taking his time, something to the effect of, “Isn’t there a verse in the Bible that speaks about feeling bad for yourself because you have no shoes. Until you see someone with no feet. Then you recognize how insignificant your issue is.”

I do remember that Bob responded something to effect of, “Yes, that may be true. But those shoeless feet, they are still your feet.”

In essence, he told me not to short-sell my agenda.

While others may (and do) suffer far more than you, you still can have pain at the same time.  It’s not about comparatory suffering. It’s not about being cavalier about others. It’s not about shining the spotlight on you for a self-congratulatory, self-centered me-me-me moment.  No, I’m talking about paying attention to your core needs that resonate with your core values. This is not about selfishness.  It is more about your life, relationships, growth, and resilience. You can still have empathy and continue to care and advocate for yourself.

Regardless of what happens in the world today, your world continues. Your agenda (your list of things to be done) does not disappear.  Your issues, trials, tribulations, strife, successes, collaborations, family, friends, and resilience mean something to you and to others.  Your children. Your community. Your healthcare insurance. Your significant other(s). Your debt. Your food insecurity. Your suffering loved one. Your savings account. Your community activism. Your ….

This past week I attended a celebration of life for an area musician/businessman/family man/friend.  The church was SRO. The celebration was not about the agendas of people in the seats. It was about our friend who had left us far too early—and about all he had accomplished. However, after the service there were long hugs, warm kisses, and meaningful conversations about appreciating life to its fullest.  About appreciating all of our lives.  The celebration became an exclamation point for us, the living.  Our agendas moving forward.

Don’t let anyone discount your agenda.

Video recommendation of the week.

Are you “full of yourself”?

Make it an inspiring week and H.T.R.B. as needed.

For information about and to order my new book, Stories About Teaching, Learning, and Resilience: No Need to be an Island, click here.

My podcasts: The Growth and Resilience Network™ (http://stevepiscitelli.com/media-broadcast/podcast).

My programs and webinars: website  (http://stevepiscitelli.com/programs/what-i-do) and (http://stevepiscitelli.com/programs/webinars).

Pearson Education publishes my student textbooks for life success—Choices for College Success (3^rd edition) and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff? (3^rd edition).

(c) 2017. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.