Sip On It

When a child learns to drink from a cup it generally has a wide mouth and a cover to prevent what’s inside from spilling all over their face and clothing. They are called “sippy cups” because the child is taught to “sip” from them as a precursor to drinking from a cup without a lid. We have all witnessed a little one pick up a glass and watch as they essentially dump the liquid all over themselves. A mess is an expected outcome until the child masters the “sip” verses the “gulp”.

This is a great analogy for how life can be when I am not exercising patience. I want what I want when I want it as opposed to trusting that what is meant to be will come of itself at the right time. It also reflects the gluttony I have felt when I receive what I want but I want more of it - on my time schedule. It’s wanting to gulp something instead of savoring it sip by sip, as if drinking from a straw.

A friend once told me he wanted to teach me something about the meaning of life. He believed he had information I didn’t. I asked him to share the details and he refused. He said I needed to learn it slow, like a sunrise, not like a flashlight shined into my eyes temporarily blinding me from what I needed to see. While there was undeniable ego involved in his withholding that information from me, the analogy he gave was something I haven’t forgot. It makes sense when learning or teaching. Tis’ better to go at a reasonable speed, whether you’re the teacher or the student.

There have been times when life didn’t afford me the luxury of enjoying the sunrise, so to speak. These events are sometimes labeled getting “baptized by fire” or “jumping in head first” or “with both feet”. My first public speech was to an audience of 1100 people. I agreed to do the speech, however, most people would have worked their way up to a crowd of that size. I chose the “baptism by fire” route solely for the purpose of sharing my story and gaining the experience of having done so. This prepared me for future speaking engagements of lesser people and sharpened my skills. That first big gulp (speech) taught me how to sip whatever came next. With little experience I had no fear of speaking to a big audience.

There are benefits of learning things by jumping in head first. You are forced to find your way, to adjust your sails and figure out how to get to a place of being comfortable. Once you do you can become the teacher and show others how you managed. This is not to say that dipping your toes and inching in slowly is no good. This will also eventually get you to a place of being comfortable. There isn’t a right or wrong way because we all learn differently and will discover which is best for ourselves.

Typically, the gulping of anything will be messy. Picture the baby with juice painted over their lips and a pool of said liquid spilled down their front side. With trial and error, the child learns to sip. He/she learns that they will get more from their cup by sipping and not dumping it (leaving them with an empty glass) and then needing a wardrobe change.

Whether it’s people or places I love, I often wish I had more time with them. Seasons and schedules will cut this short and I leave feeling slighted. I wanted more time at this beach before the rain came. I wanted more time outdoors before the weather forced me indoors. I wanted more time with this person before we had other obligations to fulfill. I want, I want, I want. When in the presence of a person or a place I love, I often want to take big gulps, feeling like it will bring more satisfaction. I have learned that sipping or savoring the moments is a greater investment and will leave me more satisfied.

“The meeting of two eternities, the past and the future, is precisely the present moment”.
-Henry David Thoreau

For me it comes down to being focused on the moment and not attempting to rush what is yet to be. If you are hungry, you will not become any more full by shoving mouthfuls of food into your mouth then if you did by taking one meaningful bite at a time. If you’re thirsty, same thing. Sipping a drink will get you the same result as guzzling. There’s an old adage about how to eat an elephant: you do it one bite at a time, just like everything else.

Being present is being patient. I have learned that jumping in with both feet is okay for me, yet, in most cases, what followed was a more calculated process that was more comfortable and felt better. I have also learned to embrace the unknowns and look forward to those experiences. However once the initial “dive” takes place, I focus on sipping the moments that follow, which makes them overall more positive and beneficial.

Pouring a gallon of water on a seed is not going to make it grow. Measured nourishment will.

“The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness”.
-Abraham Maslow