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MY SUNDAY JOURNAL
By Dalton Roberts
IPS Feature
1-17-02
COCOONING AND POWER NESTING
Two decades ago, a futurist said the trend of the future will be working
at home and surrounding yourself with all the tools of your trade. He
called it "power nesting."
At the time, it made very little sense to me. We had always been
accustomed to getting up in the morning and "going to work."
Leaving the house. Reporting in. Punching a clock. I had seen only a
handful of people who were home workers at that time.
What he predicted has come to pass. Even for me. I write for several
publications but seldom darken their door. I sit here in my "power
nest," write my columns and articles, and click on one little icon
and those columns and articles go straight to an editor's desk.
No longer is there any doubt about "power nesting." The old
saying was "He who dies with the most toys, wins." The new one
must be, "He who has the best power nest wins."
I just spent $800 for a new computer and a comparable amount for sound
equipment (part of my living now comes from doing a one-man
storytelling, singing show). So my "power nesting" is really
"survival nesting." It's the way I pay the rent.
There's a dimension here we could call "cocooning." It's an
idea way beyond power nesting. One that is much more important.
Cocooning is staying home and re-energizing ourselves. A place to
re-charge your spiritual batteries is just as important as a place to
work.
I visited a friend who had a prayer room. He had an altar with statues
of Jesus, Mother Mary and Buddha. He is a practicing Christian but gains
spiritual juice from several other traditions. When I walked in that
room, I felt something special.
It made me set up an area of my home where I cocoon. It has icons of all
kinds. Even pictures of dear friends who impart spiritual strength to
me. And a sculpture my daughter made of my one-legged bird pal, Long
John Cardinal. You may think I am the goofiest guy in the universe (Paul
spoke of being a fool for Christ so I am honored to be seen as goofy)
but that bird did as much for me as any person, book, friend or
spiritual teacher I have ever known. God sent him to me to love and care
for and he became dear to me.
Fill your cocoon area with things that make you burst forth like a
butterfly into the world. Then when you go to your power nest, you will
be ready to work, refreshed and full of spiritual sap and joy juice.
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