Sunday, November 8, 2015

How Many Bumps Will You Have Today?

How Many Bumps Will You Have Today?

“We can’t have a crisis tomorrow.  My schedule is already full.” – Henry Kissinger

We expect so much. We expect our hours and days to run smoothly, when indeed we know better.

I call it the “Theory of Six Bumps,” and it’s a simple premise: each day will surprise us with six bumps, that is, events that we don’t anticipate but must deal with nonetheless. The dog gets sick and does her business on the carpet (bump #1) . . . a friend desperately needs a ride to drop off his car (bump #2) . . . on our way to the office, we realize that we forgot one critical piece for the afternoon meeting (bump #3).

Bumps, of course, come in all shapes and sizes (misplaced keys, traffic at a standstill on 526), and if we’re lucky, most bumps will be insignificant. Certain ones will take over our lives for a stretch (e.g., sickness and weather-related tragedies), but the true casualty is our dream for a bump-free day. Perhaps it’s time to revise that dream. Instead of anticipating a day free of mishaps (hope springs eternal), embrace the notion that, each day, they’ll be six bumps (some more demanding than others).  Rest assured, they’re coming.

Some time ago I shared the Theory of Six Bumps with my sister, and less than 48 hours later she called and reported, “Well, I’ve already had my six bumps today.” It was 10:30 in the morning (ouch!). As best I can recall, the bumps involved a parking ticket, a broken coffee pot and a computer glitch, a challenging mix if you asked me. I immediately thought to myself, then shared with my sister: “Well, it looks like you’re clear for the rest of the day.” Fortunately she laughed, then recounted the frustrating details of her morning.

Some days I give voice to my bumps. Rushing to a morning meeting, I spot a traffic jam up ahead. Inside I’m thinking: “Bump #1”. Hours later, on the checkout line, I discover that I don’t have my credit card (bump #2) because I gave it to my daughter (an altogether different kind of bump). Once home, I realize that I’ve neglected to shut off the outside water valve and discover that the water line has burst (bump #3, and a sizable one at that).

Of late, one particular bump stands out: it was Saturday morning, nearing 9:30am, when Roe and I heard a strange noise emanating from the air vent.  Within minutes we realized that an animal was trapped in the duct system and as my frustration began to mount, that THIS Saturday was about to disappear, I smiled to myself and said aloud: “Ah, bump #1.”  Six hours later the problem was resolved (we’ll call this a “multi-hour bump”). And while frustration was still a part of my profile, the recognition helped immensely.

Might a bump-free day lie in your future?  Not likely. So just sit back and relax – and count ‘em if you wish.  But know this – the bumps will arrive again tomorrow . . . and the day after that.

Embrace ’em.  It’ll make life a heckuva lot easier.


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