Sometimes - Starting over is the best antidote.

There use to be a show on tv called Cheers, and in the introduction of the show they would sing this theme song and there were some lyrics in the song that said "you wanna go where everyone knows your name". In hindsight people naturally want to go where everyone knows their name because it makes you feel you've reached a certain status. Think about it, you walk into church, a party, or an important event and everyone is going through great lengths to get your attention with a smile, wave or even a hug, what we don't realize all too often is what that attention cost us.

Think about it, depending on who you are or what you've done for community or social status, how many times have you missed a family gathering, an important dance, game, or play. How many nights have you come home and talked about how exhausted you are, just to do the same thing all over again? Late nights, early mornings, coffee and energy drinks, meetings after meetings, events after events, sacrificing your own sleep, relationships, and time.

One thing that this Pandemic has taught me is how important family time is. I moved to North Carolina during a Pandemic and when I first got here I slept with my phone next to me as I have done so many times before, because I'm usually answering calls at 1, 2 or 3 in the morning going to assist someone or get a teen out of trouble, but it was the first time that I had no late night phone calls, no early meetings, no missed games and I was actually able to sit down and eat with my family every day.

I realized that then it was nothing wrong with being some place where people didn't know my name. Where starting over was actually an amazing thing for me. It makes me think about how everyday God gives us another day to start over, to get it right, to share a smile, a joke, a hug, a movie, a dinner, etc with your love one, to let them know that even with a busy schedule that they matter, that they are loved and that they are important, before this pandemic so many of us took starting over for granted.

We took the important things for granted, but I want to just leave you with a little piece that has blessed my life lately, as long as you are still breathing you can start over! If you messed up yesterday, start over tomorrow, being in this place where not too many people know my name has allowed me to realize the importance of what so many of us take for granted each day, THE ABILITY TO START OVER!

With Love,

Paul Gales

Instagram: @galespaul