I Quit

Just Quit!!!

This past week I had the opportunity to hear Bob Goff, author of “Love Does” share some of his story.  He is a dynamic speaker and communicator whose words are still resonating in my heart almost a week later.  My take away from a brilliant message was this simple statement. “I quit”.  Who quits?  Most of us have grown up with equating quitting as failure, or giving up, or not being able to measure up, so why try. Just give up and quit while you are ahead of nothing.

Bob, in his witty and engaging message, laughed and mocked the words, “I quit.”

We have become a people with so much going on that our schedules are packed, our inbox’s are full, our hearts are heavy, and we have more health and mental-health issues in this world than ever before.  Bob, announced that he now quits something every Thursday.  Thursday comes and he quits.  What?  Who knows but it’s his day to quit something.

I loved reading some of the Facebook updates this past week. One person posted on Tuesday. “I quit. Tuesday is my day.”  I have decided that Friday is my day to quit.  What? Who knows, but I too carry a busy schedule and will be happy to find one thing a week to quit.  Guess what I am quitting today?

My calendar has no schedule... all the time in the world.

What does this really mean for me? What am quitting? I am quitting scheduling friends. It's Friday, my quitting day and no friends to schedule again.  With a “busy” schedule what does it mean to my life of adding to many things, dates to a calendar etc? For me it has been a quiet and steady seeping into my life.  A small trickle of tasks, desires, wants, needs, and then one day that trickle looks and appears to be a very busy life and full calendar.  I cringe each time I get a note or message like this. “I wanted to talk with you about this, but you are so busy.”  No, no, no. I am never too busy to have a conversation with a friend, or a coffee, or a pop- in when in the neighborhood. As of today I quit scheduling and my calendar is wide open.

Come sit on my yellow cozy loveseat anytime.

Sunday evening I saw a dear and precious friend that I had not seen in a few months.  We hugged and agreed that we must make some time. Instead of pulling out my calendar and “planning” a specific time, I extended an open invitation to my home.  An invite that simply stated, “Come by anytime. We are always eating around 6pm.  You do not need to call just show up and join us.”  Guess who showed up this past Tuesday?  That dear friend accepted that open invitation and came and enjoyed a jovial meal around the Traub kitchen.  That same day another friend sent me a text message, wanting to borrow our Santa suite, and “schedule” a time to pick it up. No scheduling just come by.  She also joined our family for dinner. To friends around my kitchen, laughing and simply popping in and having some face to face time over a home cooked meal. (thanks to David)

I don’t ever want to communicate that I am too busy or that I don’t have time for people. So guess what I quit. I quit planning time.  I quit. My calendar is open.  If you want to stop by during the dinner hour, not only will you get some good food, as my husband is doing a lot of the cooking these days, but great conversation too.  I quit. I quit scheduling and squeezing people in.  If you want to show up at 10pm and I am in my jammies watching a movie or working late, guess what I am here. And that yellow love seat in my office is comfy and cozy.  I quit scheduling.  Today is Friday and it is now officially I quit day.