I was on autopilot after my lunch, with an unusual craving for something sweet. As I opened the refrigerator, I found a single can of soda, which is uncommon for this household where we do not usually drink sodas or even had them in the house. Without thinking, I opened it, discovering I had returned in time and was holding a pull-tab. I did not know anyone still made these types of cans or that they were allowed. I had stepped back to my university days, with a string of pull tabs hanging off the mirror in my car and no awareness of the impact I was having on the environment.
Autopilot can be a lost opportunity. Automatic thinking, especially when one is tired or battered, is often an expression that I use to hide my lack of thinking and engagement. It is not a condemnation of myself. For me, it is an acknowledgement that is both candid and honest. I was not thinking. I reverted to old habits I thought I had moved past. My opportunity is to learn and let the lessons sink deep into my being, so I engage with each moment to get the best out of it.
Engagement includes exploring and trying new approaches. I have come to appreciate the value of common sense and care for the people around me and our environment. I have an opportunity to take the models left by those before me and improve on them! I can learn from their actions and the outcomes that followed. There was a calling to build on their foundation. It comes with a reminder across every aspect of living, including old words: “Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship – a different kind of ‘sacrifice’ – that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.” (Hebrews 13.16). It continues with intentional caring responses for the relationships, community, and life in each moment.
