Another brilliant piece from a GUNNAS WRITING MASTERCLASS writer
Have you ever been given a present from a nearest and dearest and not had any affinity with the gift? Obviously, it is the sentiment of giving, not the gift itself, that is paramount but it can put the receiver in a bit on the spot. If you have ever been in this position you can imagine my delight today at finding a use for such a gift, even if it was not the one for which it was intended.
I have short hair and I am not averse to it getting wet in the shower. My friend of the low flowing auburn locks and over 40 years of friendship, bestowed upon me the gift of a shower cap. As shower caps go it is a lovely one. She swears by them. At the moment of presentation, however, she looked anxiously at my hair and at me and inquired as to whether it would, in fact, be of use. “But of course it would” was my delighted reassurance, “use them all the time”.
We are now two years on from that moment. The beautifully crafted shower cap is retained but remains in its packaging. However, today, it was brought to my attention that a shower cap could be a potentially useful way of reminding oneself not to get distracted from a task one had taken on, even, or maybe especially, if that task is onerous. In short, stick a shower cap on your head until the job is done. If distractions to the task in hand occur, such as nipping out to the supermarket, answering emails or challenging for leadership, the shower cap retained upon your head will be a constant reminder of the underlying commitment to the original task. It will also signal to others that something is going on.
I guess it is up to the shower cap wearer to navigate that issue.
So, I have come home with a possible new skill to try out. In summary, the task was to write something, anything, and submit it before 10pm not a minute after. Lots of self talk about why I couldn’t, wouldn’t, didn’t need to but eventually a commitment was made. Did the vodka, lime and lemon contribute to the “give it a go, nothing to lose attitude”? Didn’t hurt.
Was I distracted completing the process? Yes. Husband rang, needed lift and to download his day. Dinner prepared in preparation for influx of sporting children. Timetable checked to determine when influxes would occur. Glass of wine.
Did I don the aforementioned shower cap? No, and you know why? Finding it would have been yet another distraction from the task in hand. So would the ensuing discussion with husband and influxing offspring. But the thought was there.
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