Just One Domino

When you were a kid did you ever play with dominos? I did. And although my great grandmother taught me to play the game of dominos, I had much more fun creating great huge shapes and designs with dominos standing on their edge - and then watching the magic that happens when you push the first domino - and it hits the next domino - that falls onto the next --- and so on.

In order to stop the cascading dominos it only takes a moment and really all you have to do is remove a domino - just one domino. When you pull that one domino it breaks the cascading chain reaction and everything is just potential. Sometimes I might decide that the pattern isn't the one that I want - or that the pattern will run in ways that I don't want and I need to re-arrange the dominos before letting the cascade continue. Sometimes I need to remove just one domino.

Arranging Dominos for Life

I find that my life can be like that... like a huge great pattern of dominos that I've spent a lot of time arranging. I've put a huge amount of effort and preparation getting life all lined up and ready to go... creating potential.

Sometimes the patterns I make are beautiful and intricate and all the dominos are white. When everything starts falling the pattern goes just the way I want. In those times my will and the will of my higher power are well aligned and one good event leads on to the next.

But other times - all the dominos are black. And the patterns that occur are not so pretty. And sometimes when the dominos start falling they knock into other things - like tables full of glass goblets - or maybe a steaming hot cup of coffee. And it's when things like this that start happening that I can see a chain reaction. One small bad thing happens - and then another - and then suddenly I'm in some crazy negative energy vortex and I'm literally feeling myself pull bad things and people and happenings to me.

If there is someone else in a bad mood - they come and join me and rain on my parade. The tube doors slam shut in my face, the bank sends me an overdraft notice and I get in a fight with my best friend. It all starts to go pear shaped - it all goes horribly horribly wrong. Until I remember one of my favorite life theories and it goes like this:

Have you met 3 A**holes today?

If I wake up in the morning and go out into the world and the first person I speak to is a real A**hole, then I guess it happens sometimes and I go on my way. And if the second person I speak to is a real A**hole, then I guess that both of them deserve a bit more rest and a smile for the rest of their day. And if the THIRD person I meet and speak to is a real A**hole ...

then...
in all liklihood...
I AM THE A**HOLE!

It really means that I am the one that needs to check my attitude, give myself a bit more rest and a smile for the rest of my day. I'm probably doing things that are causing others to react to me in that negative way. It's either that or I am in one of my negative vortex situations and I am drawing negative people into my life. In either case it's time for a change.

Just One Domino

When this happens I try to get out the way of life and other basically innocent bystanders - to remove just one domino - and collect myself and my thoughts. I check out what it is that's been going on and why I'm in such a mood defined as, "restless, irritable and discontent". And if I can find the source of my anxiety and turn it over to my higher power - then I'm well on the way to stopping all these negative things from happening. But it requires me to be aware that something is happening and to push the RESET button on my life... to remove just one domino and to start over again.

So - if you're ever having "one of those days" just take a minute, get quiet, ask for help and let your higher power remove just one domino.