There are those loose ends

Well, I hope Santa reached you and left some good cheer under that tree.  As for me, I am simply once again touched by the kindness of people at this time of year.  Family and friends from near and far have been most kind to me as have ones here with whom I am involved in my ministry.  All I can say is that people I know from Bangkok, Australia, wherever have been so kind to me and I think how good people are.  This is a good way to finish the year but this was not the way it was only last week. Then I felt much more tired, defeated or stretched in life. 

On my last day at the Caritas office on Christmas Eve, I went away thinking how much unfinished business I was leaving behind.  There were important tasks at hand but I could not finish them as they demanded the attention of more people than just me and in one way or another they were not there.   So as I approached finishing 2014 last week, my 'task oriented' mindset told me that I am finishing the year with many loose ends left undone.  Ho, hum! 

Then along came Christmas and I name it as my focus changed to my 'relationship oriented' mindset and my experience has been so much more positive.  So this week, I approach finishing the year with a healthy appreciation of humanity.  People have been good to me over these past few days and they have left their mark on me for the better.  My overwhelming sense is that I no longer feel tired, defeated or stretched. 

I wonder how to put these two mindsets or experiences of my life together.  I don't believe in compartmentalising life.  I also don't see that one mindset can be ignored while the other becomes dominant and rules the day.  The two I am sure speak to each other and go hand in hand.  There are the loose ends in my life but that does not take away from the fact that people are basically good and life has so much to offer. 

Maybe these two roads in my life come together through reflecting on another experience in my Bangkok.  It is Christmas - New Year and people flock here from the Australias of our world because they have found their bit of paradise, escape or just place of fun.  For them, here can be their El Dorado for now.  For me, this is home.  It can be anything but fun and my internal response to encountering these people can be a simple internal yell - Please!!!

Here is my place of work and daily struggle, it is my place of daily achievement and striving, the place where I meet people and friends on a daily basis.  As I reflect on life from this approach, I think good Pope Francis has something to offer me.  I need to have more fun and exercise that sense of humour.  I must not overemphasize the task focus in life at the expense of the relationship focus.  Life may have become too serious and in the process I just don't stop enough and enjoy the goodness of people around me.  As they say, I need to smell the flowers more. 

Yes, there are the loose ends but they don't really matter.  They are a part of life and the task will always remain undone.  What really matters is life itself and to savour and enjoy it, to savour and enjoy the people around me.  What matters is balance in life.  The task focus in life cannot take over from the relationship focus.  Both are important and have their place.  What, I would say, has primary place is relationships.  Never let the task lose sight of the people, never let the negative overcome the positive, never let the world's woes hide the world's joys and possibilities for goodness and greatness.  Good Pope Francis is right.  A healthy sense of humour is essential in life. 

I wonder if Santa has any loose ends at the completion of his annual tour of duty.  Well, loose ends or not, he knows that Christmas has to keep rolling on. 

Ho! Ho! Ho!  Happy New Year!