Mother and Crow
Christmas Day
I would encourage anyone who has found their way to this post to check in with yourself - when was the last time you chatted with a crow?
When was the last time you took a moment to quietly enjoy the absurdity that surrounds you and find some small moment of meaning within it? Research tells us that we need nature breaks. That we need to connect with friends, families, and find meaning in what surrounds us. Dunbar has his number and we know connecting keeps us healthy. But with so much white hot noise and pressure around us, who has the time? Allow me to introduce you to the concept of the crow moment.
In this picture you find a woman and a crow: a full-on adult son crow. On Christmas. The day after I flew back from hosting executive training in Australia. I love this picture for a number of reasons - but mostly because of what it represents. This is family in its pure form - without expectation (on a high holiday no less) and fully enjoying the moment, sitting with absurdity.
Our gifts that year were spontaneous, spur of the moment - a silver pin of a bat found in an antique store in Townsville; a crow mask; a fantastic meal; some film equipment. There was no great sweeping statement about what we could or could not give. No rules or expectations. There was just heartfelt, jet-lagged, loopy, joyful presence.
In my coaching practice I often spend a lot of time helping overworked professionals - from every life stage and career phase - as they try to find and manage time for themselves and their loved ones. They worry so much about scheduling in time for the family that they usually end up walking right past the joy and into failed expectations. You probably can't turn off the noise that surrounds you, but you can increase your own self-awareness of how you handle the noise. And when you really get your game on, you can actually sit inside of the noise, and still find meaning, presence, and connection. This takes letting go and opening up - to all the absurdity and wonder that surrounds you.
Find the white hot noise and settle inside of it. Don't cancel plans because you are afraid you can't control the moment or make something of great meaning. Instead, just sit with those you love. The rest of it falls into place, crow mask and all.