n detour [ˈdiːtuə]

a wandering from the direct way. We made a detour through the mountains.

Last week I went to the mall to meet a friend for lunch and do some Christmas shopping. Unfortunately, my friend had a family emergency and couldn’t make it for lunch, but I had several stores to visit so I carried on. 45 minutes later, loaded with bags and feeling gratified that I’d managed to find everything I was looking for, I exited the Target store into the center of the mall, right next to a Starbucks.

Yesterday morning, as I was preparing for the day, something interesting happened. My thoughts had been an underground stream of worries: family challenges, the possibility that I might be getting another cold, the never ending economic woes. All of a sudden, unbidden, I experienced a deep feeling of gratitude that vanquished my worries. Not just a general sense of gratitude but something very specific:

I recently read an intriguing article entitled, “Bombings, beheadings? Stats show a peaceful world.” The article cited numerous data demonstrating that the world is becoming a more peaceful place. Statistics show dramatic reductions in war deaths, family violence, racism, rape, murder and more.

This week I attended an interesting course entitled Coaching from a Systems Perspective. It was developed and facilitated by a group of colleagues affiliated with the Society for Organizational Learning. (http://systemsperspectivesllc.com) There were many valuable aspects that I’ll be incorporating into my practice over time.