Working below grade

and learning to close the window

Working below grade, there’s aways something above you.

You’ll likely notice it right away.

That’s a hazard, you’ll note the first time past.

The second time past, you’ll hurry.

Bump.

Shit!

You’ll likely make a note. Don’t do that again.

Next time past?

Bump.

Shit!

Same thing. You’ll make another note: Duck when you go past there.

Next time past?

You’ll remember it’s there just as you -

Bump.

Fuck.

That one hurt enough. The next time past? You remember the pain of the last one.

You’ll remember that thing above you that you hit your head on.

This time?

You’ll duck.

This will happen a few times in a row.

Eventually you’ll begin to feel pride and a sense of accomplishment.

That is exactly when it happens again.

Bump.

Shit. I didn’t quite have it as I’d hope.

And this thing over your head?

It might be an open window. It might be a beam.

It may be a project that you’re working on.

More than likely though, this process of ‘bumping your head’, is in relationship to how you interact with someone else.

Yesterday for me, it was an open window.

Eventually, I closed the window. I removed the impediment.

But in a relationship with someone where you are constantly smacking yourself in the head?

Sometimes being mindful is enough.

And,

When do you know it’s time to close the window?