This last Sunday was the feast day for one of the most influential people in my life. It has been 15 years since Danny passed, but he is never far from my thoughts. I had the honor of speaking at his funeral with over 1100 people in attendance. The minister asked for a show of hands to answer the question of who thought they were Danny’s best friend. Everyone in the room raised their hand.
I eulogized Danny with a story of the time when he asked me to join him for a ride in the country. He had a specific destination in mind, which was about an hour drive. I jumped at the chance to spend time with this remarkable human being. It wasn’t every day you could ride with the unofficial Mayor of South Austin. We left about 9am and arrived five hours later! Danny would say pull over here for a minute. We couldn’t pass up any of those great Texas Bar-B-Que places, so we had lunch twice on the way.
Our destination was an obscure thrift store. Stuck way in the back, they had an authentic Dale Evans dress he was buying for his wife’s birthday. There we were, two big strong men leaving the shop carrying a small women’s dress (tee hee). The memory was a small reminder of Danny’s relationship with time. For him, it was about the journey and never the destination. He was always present, which is how he found a special place in the hearts of so many.
Danny was one of those who left too soon. I can’t think of him and feel pinchy around time without great conflict. What do I need to know about the gift this man shared?
The mentality of lack when it comes to time, stems from internal conflict around goals. Misalignment will interrupt the flow and lead to the sense of scarcity. Trying to fit too many things together in your head leads to pressure. If you compared each thing you are working to a hungry pet, how would you feel about your ability to take care of each one? Everything you are trying to accomplish represents a task. With too much responsibility, there is not enough time the enjoy the ride.
Danny’s passion for life was greater than his need to set unrealistic goals. This led to freedom to making choices in life that held greater happiness. The result was an infectious disposition that inspired others. Breaking free of self-imposed obligations is letting go as a way to better manage time. Control energy around multiple tasks leads to a reactive style of being in the world.
You are the master of your own fate. Instead of being at the mercy of external conditions, find the internal voice that knows when to say no to every demand. The drive for greater financial abundance can influence the sense of time scarcity. The answer is to place value where time is dedicated and where your energy is directed. Time pressure is the gap between how you wish to spend time and how you are really spending time. To resolve any uncomfortable distance, be responsible to people in the here and now. Your heart knows the value of being in the moment and Danny was teaching that by the example. Notice how you think, act, and feel in every moment to resolve inner conflict.
Bring joy, ease suffering and create beauty, then dance like you mean it!
Blessings, Russell
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”
Elbert Hubbard
“What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.”
Aristotle
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