Everyone Has Their ‘Zorba’ Moments
By“Teach me to dance.”
So goes the line by the character Basil in Zorba the Greek after his friend Zorba has disastrously ordered a third log to shoot down their already-compromised zip line, publicly destroying what was left of the logging business both men had spent months creating.
And so it goes . . . I’m reminded of this moment while getting ready to attend a closing to sell our former residence near Decatur, Georgia. This house – putting it mildly – was a disaster (and all my doing). We bought it in 2001 for $105K, spent over $130K fixing it up over the years, lived in it from 2006-2008 because we couldn’t sell it.
Then the Great Recession hit and we are lucky to let it go for $195K, minus all the closing costs, realtor commissions, et cetera, et cetera . . . This is in addition to the fact that we also bought and sold several other properties over the past decade, only one of which could be considered a financial success!
So, more than $50,000 and years of time – up in smoke. Today, Brigitte and I celebrate our ‘Zorba Moment.’  Wisdom comes at a price. We paid ours.
And so we dance. You can too:
I know the feeling. On 12/4/2000, my car was rear ended, by a PU doing an estimated 30 MPH. It took three years to determine what it did to my back (there went my lawsuit for damages). During that time, I lost m small business, and gradually the ability to walk. I’m now in a Nursing Home, rehabbing, and trying to slow the loss of function below the waist (~80% at this point). God is apparently “teaching me to dance,” by letting me write a book on Advertising, Marketing and Selling for small businesses. Tentatively “Cut the cost of Advertising, Marketing and Selling for your small business.”) It takes everything I learned from 2 businesses over 10 years that were stopped by outside events.
Being on 24Mg of morphine a day, makes writing slow at times, but doable. The writing and selling is my “learn to dance.” LOL
Bless you Walter, and thanks for sharing your story. May you discover the miraculous healer within you and/or the legacy that arises from this hardship.
Michael,
I loved your true story and your wonderful example of how to reframe it all by just learning to dance and laugh and enjoy life in the moment – not matter what disaster has occurred.
Last night, I saw the movie “Dear John,” so sad and bittersweet, about two people who found true love but were kept apart by life circumstances. I am getting ready to present a free Preview call next Thursday, 2/25/10, followed by a 4 week teleseminar series, Healing Through Love: Steps to Loving Healing Relationships http://www.motivationalwhisperers.com/2freeteleclass.html
That movie last night reminded me of all the ways and all the times I have felt unloved, emotionally abandoned, and hurting through love. What a wonderful way to heal, by dancing, laughing and sharing free expression, even if totally by yourself.
Just the image of Zorba dancing and the two of them laughing brought a sense of joy into my heart.
I can relate to the real estate blues. I bought a rental house a year ago & now it’s not rented. I just put the house I’m living in on the market. I figure if it sells I’ll move into the rental. If the rental is rented or sold, then I’m free to go whereever.
Things happen for a reason. If I’m here then this is where I’m suppose to be.
I started line dancing this year and it’s been a lot of fun. The economy may be down and the weather miserable but when I show up for class it’s always a fun time with great people. What could be better!