Just a Little Time

I’m sitting in Starbucks and savoring my Chai and hot oatmeal, enjoying being out of the cold. I won’t be having Starbucks as much in 2011 because I plan to cut back and save money!

It’s cold and windy in Las Vegas right now, with snow on the tops of the surrounding mountains, and inside Starbucks it’s cozy and warm. In fact, all the chairs around me are full of people, and I realized that for some reason, it seems extra cozy in here. I tried to put my finger on the reason for this, and then I realized it was because of all the coats on the back of each chair around me. Instead of stark bare wooden chair legs and shiny wood, everything is draped in fabric, velour, and extra padding. People hold their steaming cups and lean into each other more than usual.

I’m happy to say that I almost completed my one resolution for this year, which was to complete my big To-Do list – the one I’ve held onto for years because I procrastinated about many of the items for so long. Even the ones I didn’t complete fully (like transferring my MiniDV’s to DVD) are ones I at least made steps of progress, so I think of that as a victory.

This year’s primary resolution is to exercise. I plan to exercise every day in January. This way I can move into February with the knowledge that I can exercise every day without excuses.

If I were to make another resolution – one aside from the boring ones of eating right or saving money – it would be to get to know people better – those people who I find intriguing and usually only know in passing. The reason I mention this is because a man I know, a 60-year-old who always takes adult ballet classes where I work, died this week of a heart attack.

He came in for class every day and always enthusiastically tried any new dance class we offered. He always smiled, was always polite. It wasn’t until I looked him up online after he died that I wished I had talked to him more. His facebook photos show him cycling at Red Rock, in full cycling regalia. (I could have talked to him about the Tour de France!) He was an avid reader and seemed like he had a full, interesting life. He seemed like the type of person I would have loved to get to know better. Too bad I was too focused on work to actually talk to him.

So I think it might be a good lesson for us all, if not a resolution for everyone. Let’s take a little time to connect. That barista behind the Starbucks counter, the guy who delivers your mail, your next door neighbor – they could all be fascinating potential friends with mutual interests and common personalities. Let’s take a little time to find out.