Playing It Forward - Workplace Style

Well, it’s that time of year when it’s not surprising to find offices across the Country sharing fellowship by servings of brought food and drinks. And though not all companies may invite such a gathering, for the most part the majority is those that do. And that’s a good thing. Whenever the opportunity arises to share time with some you might only say ‘hi’ to in the hall, I’m a firm believer in doing so.

This past week, the office where I hang my hat for eight hours out of the day had such a gathering. The tables were overflowing with not only turkey and ham, but also side dishes out the wing-wang – and not to mention the large assortment of desserts that reeked of delicious calories.

It was great.

But you know, this event also gave me a thought of how a closed-office gathering could actually be used as a tool for playing it forward outside its walls. And it wouldn’t take much of an effort at all. In fact, all it would take would be a few moments of ones time, a couple of disposable plates, plastic utensils, and some napkins.

You see, I was thinking. After all the festivities had settled, but before the leftover food was put away, go through the line and fill up another plate. Be sure to put a sound meal on it – and maybe some dessert as well. Then take another plate and cover it, gather up a set of utensils and grab a couple of napkins.

After you do this, then go outside of the building and play it forward. Take that plate full of morsels to someone who may be homeless; living on the streets. And if the person happens not to be there at the time, well then place the covered dish inside the cardboard box where they sleep. If you want… go ahead and drop a few bills on top the food for good measure. Then walk away. Don’t gloat. Do nothing but simply walk away.

It’s just a thought, folks. Something you might want to consider as you scarf up all that delicious food – the thought that you have reason to be extremely thankful, so why not let someone else who may not always be thankful, be thankful as well.

Enjoy the time with your fellow workers, but also play it forward.

Changes in Lattitude. Changes in Attitude.

I feel a need to apologize. Yeah, apologize. You see, I’ve been a bit lax with posting new entries to my blog ‘Tattered Laces’.

Now my recent distance toward the fine cyber community had nothing to do with any hurtful comments that might have been made, or in fact any ill feelings toward the lack of interests a post here and there might have received. No, honestly, the blame can be solely directed toward ‘changes’.

You see for the past couple of months, my life has been constantly changing – and we’re talking major changes both financial and personal.

However through it all, as true with all the changes we face everyday, we rely on our inner strengths in order to learn and grow. And no matter how old we may be whenever those life-altering changes occur, in the long run we can weather the storms.

Does this mean that during these changes that we should let all else that has been a foundation crumble away? Crumble away by focusing more attention toward those changes and not the reliable things in our lives? Well you see, that’s how I ‘dropped the ball’. Instead of becoming overwhelmed with the temporary changes that had landed in my path of life, I should have held tightly on to the stable things and used them as a crutch to help me along - even if one of those ‘things’ was this 500 word blog written twice a week.

So whether in the workplace or your personal life, don’t forget to use those stable things whenever going through changes. Be it a daily routine, a favorite lunch hangout, watching a favorite program on TV, or just playing with your kids or pets… you will find that it’s those types of things that will help keep you sane during the chaos that changes seem to bring.

Change really is a good thing. And though at the time we may not see its benefits, we all know in our gut that change happens for reasons. And since having to deal with change since the moment we were born, we also know that we will all be just fine.

Just a note though… if things DO start to seem too crazy, remember those prolific words penned by Jimmy Buffet:

It's those changes in latitudes / changes in attitudes nothing remains quite the same / With all of our running and all of our cunning / If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane.