Jest for the Health of It
as written for the Wayuga News Papers 2002 by Miranda Whitman
The Greater Fair Haven Area Women's Club held their annual luncheon on Monday, August 5th, in the cool and breezy surroundings of The Pleasant Beach Hotel. Amid much friendly chatter, over 50 women gathered to enjoy a light social lunch and hear the wisdom of a retired Oswego State professor and native of Fair Haven. Dr. Bruce Lester gave an intriguing motivational talk. "Jest for the Health of It" was full of humorous anecdotes and striking bits of common sense wisdom.
At the heart of the Dr.'s talk was something evident in all our lives, stress. Dr. Lester pointed out that all stress is not bad, in fact, most stress is good and tends to be a motivating factor in our lives. Disstress is what you need to watch out for. No one enjoys being "stressed out" but it seems that our perceptions cause us most of this frustration. Dr. Lester's key points to curbing distress were laid out simply following the letters in the word RISE.
R; learn to relax. Ask anyone who has recently retired and they will tell you that they had to learn how to relax. Everyone is used to go, go, going all the time. Take an hour to do absolutely nothing.
I; be inviting to yourself. It seems today people are itching for a fight. The next time someone gives you the finger in traffic just shake your head and shake it off. They haven't done anything to you unless you choose to let them upset you.
S; search for alternatives. You always have a choice in life, even if the options aren't the best. It feels better to say, "I choose to" than to say "I have to."
E; Enjoy today. Stop waiting for that perfect moment or forcing yourself to be perfect before you try something. As Dr. Lester aptly put it, "The world needs a few lousy singers." Attack that karaoke machine.
And on that note the meeting ended with a song appropriately called Perfect Rationality sung to the tune of Denza, Funicult, Funicula.