SUNRISE - Good Grief

BY DAVID COY CONTRIBUTOR

IF you have ever watched the Charlie Brown Cartoon by Charles Schulz then you are familiar with one of his classic phrases ‘good grief.’ Whenever he would feel dejected or humiliated (which Lucy frequently attempted to accomplish) Charlie Brown would exclaim ‘good grief! Is there such a thing? Charlie Brown apparently did not think so. He seemed to be eternally the pessimist. Certainly he was fraught with bouts of anxiety and lack of self esteem. One of his claimed famous quotes deals with his negativity; I think I am afraid of being hap- py because whenever I get too happy, something bad always happens. Sometimes we may get to thinking this describes us in our grief journey.

We are rising every day striving to take care of the day’s responsibilities when we have a moment of happiness and we feel guilty. It is not right for us to feel happy or at least this is what we think at that moment.

Can grief be good and just how long we are to be miserable or sad before we feel it acceptable to experience a moment of happiness? When a positive memory or an activity we are engaged in brings a smile this is not an example of real but assumed guilt. This is an example of grief pro- gressing as it should. This is a positive movement forward, embrace it. son or over the phone, make an outline of what you want to say. Go over it several times before communicating. Read, and reread, all written communication before sending. Whenever possible, allow time between your first and final drafts.

Grief is a powerful tutor and is the necessary consequence of loving, building an attachment, and making an investment of our life with a person or activity we have come to highly value. All relationships come with an eventual time of separation. Nothing lasts forever in this material world. If you find yourself experiencing that time of separation and you feel you would benefit from someone to walk with you in your journey with grief we are available to fulfill that role.

If we may be of service please allow us the opportunity. We are here to serve. ~David.

Clarity and brevity enhance effective communication. Be direct and to the point. Make your message as short as possible. Less is more when communicating. Long messages tend to be rambling and don’t keep the recipient’s attention. If you have a lot to communicate, consider using several, shorter communications. When writing, use short paragraphs or bullet points to convey your message.

Before responding to what someone has said or written make sure your understanding is accurate. If you are not sure about what’s being conveyed, ask questions for clarification. Problems are created or worsened when each person has a different understanding about what is being said or written. Effective communication is always an ongoing pursuit. Following the guidelines mentioned above will help ensure your communication goals are achieved. Try for in-person communication whenever possible and use written communication only when there are no other options.

NOW

AVAILABLE: "Dare to Live Without Limits," the book. Visit www.BryanGolden.com or your bookstore. Bryan is a management consultant, motivational speaker, author, and adjunct professor. E-mail Bryan at bryan@columnist.com or write him c/o this paper.

Home Country

BY SLIM RANDLES CONTRIBUTOR

THERE was Steve, our resident cowboy, sitting at the round table in the Mule Barn truck stop, doodling on paper. Other members of the world dilemma think tank gravitated to Steve’s table.

Steve appeared to be oblivious of the rest of us. “Downspout,” he mumbled. Doc nodded at Herb.

“Downspout, Herb.”

“I thought so, too,” Herb said.

“Oh hi guys,” said Steve. “So Steve … downspout?”

“Hot tub,” Steve said, as if that cleared everything up.

“For the cabin. You know. I’m going to put in a hot tub.”

“And you need a downspout for this?” Herb said.

“For the rain,” Steve said. We looked at him.

“No water,” Steve said.

“You know, at the cabin.”

“Let’s see if I have this right,” Dud said. “You want to put a hot tub in at your cabin and you don’t have water.”

“Exactly.”

“So you need a downspout…?”

“For when it rains,” Steve said. “To fill the hot tub.”

“Okay. So how will you get it hot?”

“Going to wrap copper tubing around the stovepipe in the cabin, you see, and then send it on out to the hot tub. The tub will be outside on the porch.”

“You don’t have a porch.”

“But I will by the time I get the hot tub built,” Steve explained. “I’ll bet that copper tubing will heat that water right up and then I can have a good soak up there any time I want.”

“Not quite,” said Doc. “Not the way I figure it.”

Steve looked at him. “Why not?”

“If the water comes down the downspout, around the stovepipe through the copper tubing and then outside to the hot tub, it looks to me like the only time you can soak in the tub is in a rainstorm.”

Steve thought about that for a minute. Then sipped his cold coffee. Loretta heated it up.

“And Steve,” said Doc, “you ever been on that mountain when the lightning’s popping? If you’re in that hot tub, with your moustache flopping around in the wind while you watch the surrounding countryside explode, well …”

Steve wiped out what he was drawing with the pencil and started in on a fresh napkin.

He looked up after a few minutes. “Pool table,” he said.

It’s a good thing dreams are free.

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