07.27.08
The groom’s still waitin’ at the altar…
and he’s the perfect image of perfectionism. After all, the bride was ’supposed’ to show up. That’s ‘common sense’. She ’should’ want to be here with him. She ‘ought to’ be ashamed of herself for not being here!
Not a real lighthearted scene. Not a scene where humor can crack the icy stone of perfectionism and expectations.
This Bob Dylan song led me on an adventure to visit the Rock of Gibraltar. And my trip is an example of how Not to be perfectionistic. And of how we can begin to allow the humor into our lives.
There were no ’should’s, ’shalls’ or ‘oughts-to’ on this trip. Only trusting that everything would, could–not should–fall into place and everything would be all right. And it would–IF I had no expectations or hopes of a perfect outcome.
After I heard that great Dylan song, I made it a goal to see the Rock of Gibraltar. I wasn’t even certain if it existed–I thought maybe it was something like Dylan’s ordering some ’suzette’ and instead getting crepes. But it would be great to be on top of this Rock of Gibraltar on New Year’s Eve. Very symbolic–of what, I didn’t know, and maybe it wasn’t even something I could stand or sit on. But still I wanted to see it.
There weren’t any steps that I had to follow, besides buying a plane ticket and landing.
After asking some of the locals in Spain about it, I found out the Rock really did exist. In fact, it was located inside the small country of Gibraltar. I did eventually get to see the Rock, but it wasn’t on New Year’s Eve. Several incidents and people happened in between the time I landed and the sighting of–and standing on!!–the Rock. But, I got an even better New Year’s Eve because I went with the flow of the trip, the flow of the people, the flow of the travel itself.
The trip turned out much better than if I would have had and followed a ’should do’ plan:
1. I got to meet some of my neighbors on a midnight train to Marrakech.
2. I got to meet a new friend from Chicago whose presence allowed me to have a safe and enjoyable trip into Morocco.
3. I got to see a lot of places that were featured in various James Bond movies.
4. I got to trade my heavy, hard-back Hemingway book for a Moroccan rug.
5. I met Canadian friends Gordo and Philip who later visited me.
6. Philip’s aunt knew the Gibraltar area and served as our tour guide.
7. I got mistaken for Gabriela Carteris on the ferry from Morocco (this was during the heyday of “Beverly Hills 90210, and pre-nose-job days).
The benefits of just going with the flow of the moment were numerous. Probably more than I can remember just now. Including,
8. Gave me a focal point to remind me of how much fun it is to not have expectations, to be living in the moment, and to allow the creativity, fun, humor, and aliveness to permeate life’s moments. What’s YOUR favorite example of when you learned to “Get Your SHINE Together?”
