A day of forced reflection

I’m at loss of words.
Looking at my friend I’m trying to say something.
Something that will calm her. And infuse some optimism in both of us.

Earlier that morning
It’s almost 8AM. My friend and I discuss the day’s agenda.
We are at an out-of-town conference. And looking forward to the workshops planned for that day.
After planning to meet for lunch we each go to different parts of the building.

Words seem pointless
Several hours later, I’m in one of the conference rooms.
Unexpectedly, I see my friend standing in the doorway.
Surprised, I go to her.

In an almost inaudible voice she says,
“My husband just called. Our eight-year-old son had an accident.
Now he is in the emergency room. And can’t move his legs.”

I want to say something to comfort her.
But words seem pointless.
I just give her a hug and say, “We’ll leave immediately.”

As we are heading home we are trying our best to stay focused on the best possible outcome.
But bleak thoughts keep rushing in.

I thought of how this day started.
What seemed so important in the morning is now insignificant.

Good news
We are about an hour away from our home town when my friend’s phone rings.
It’s her husband giving her good news: their son is doing well.
And he CAN move his legs!
Doctors believe a pinched nerve caused the temporary paralysis.

Decide what’s really important
What a day!
It’s like a giant hand came out of the universe, grabbed us by the shoulders and forced us to stop.
Stop and reflect on our busy, always on the go, lifestyles.
Often losing sight of what’s really important.

Days like these serve as a wake-up call.
A call to simplify our lives.

Decide what really matters.
What’s really important.
And make time for it.

Mariana Fieraru

Mariana Fieraru, an Eastern European transplant, fell in love with her new home shortly after landing in New York. She "discovered" pizza! Years later she still loves pizza. And so do her two feathered-kids, Sunny and Flipper

Mariana worked on both, the east and the west coast.
Big or small, each project she worked on helped define the importance of gaining and sustaining a competitive edge in an increasingly complex business environment.

Business know-how, love of teaching and writing – all combined in 2006 to form OBI.
Its mission: to make learning fun! And easy.

Through its training, consulting, and publications OBI builds bridges of knowledge to take you from where you are to
where you want to go. Using a mix of serious, informal, analytical, and optimistic approach, OBI truly makes learning fun.

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