Page 19 - February 2021 Voices

to the world. Luckily, you can use your neighbors helping each other, the utility
car to charge the phone. The cell phone workers putting everything back on the
became very handy as I was responsible line so to speak.
for a club contest. Without internet, there 7. We can stop for a moment and consider

was no attending online meetings. Many those who have no power, no heat, no
calls were made, hence the car phone water, and no one to care for them. We can
charger. I was very lucky because I was develop more compassion. We can use the
surrounded by Toastmasters willing to time out to care more and help more. The

take the ball and run with it. The contest ice storm, Covid-19 and the taking away
I heard went well. Amember of the club of person-to-person contact, increased
said, “It went well, but not perfect.” I’ll take isolation, added to the storms across the
what I can get. country have given us a “time out” to

4. Checking on our neighbors, especially either gripe, complain, and feel sorry for
those who were alone, was very important. ourselves, or choose to be grateful, and
Human connection is very important. . . give thanks for what we have. Rise up,
5. I fully and truly believe knowing that help one another, and make the positive

light will be restored makes a difference and the best out of our situations.
in moving forward. I believe that it was Use the “time out” to think about how you
only a matter of time before everything perceive your world and your outlook. Find
would be back to “the new normal” again. ways to make the best of it and try to have fun

Our perception makes handling situations with it. By the way, the birds are back. Robins
like this manageable. When you perceive are doing their thing, other little tweety birds
the world as half-full that is what you get. are out flirting with one another as if nothing
6. We can look at having no power as an ever happened. Goodness, the lights just came

inconvenience. For some, no power meant on! Our neighbors are still in the dark. Time to
no well to pump water, to flush the toilet, share an extension cord!
to heat the home, or to heat water to
cook the soup. Yes, for some it was more Back to you fellow Toastmasters!

than an inconvenience. Yet through our
perception, and how we interpret things,
we can look at the experience as something
to appreciate. We can appreciate our

VOICES! | FEBRUARY 2021 19