When faced with overlapping opportunities to separately bond with a couple of people I care about, I opted to multitask and interact with them simultaneously. However, as to a conflict of interest, I was not capable of effectively bonding with each of them individually at the same time.
During a call with one of them in whom I felt strongly impressed to reach out to that I had not phoned in a very long time, the other one followed up with me about a place they had asked earlier if I would take them to that was closing soon. In that instance, I was faced with a conflict of interest.
Both individuals are important to me. On one hand, I was not ready just yet to end the pleasant and engaging phone conversation I was having with the one and on the other hand I wanted to take the other, sooner rather than later, to where I had previously agreed I would take them. So, I decided to stay on the call with the one via earphones at the same time as taking the other where they wanted to go.
Not knowing the call would last as long as it did before saying our goodbyes, most of my undivided attention all the while out and for a time after returning back home resided with the one on the call while only split second moments of dialogue here and there were had with the one I was with in person.
Although it was a tender mercy I acted when I did on the prompting I received to reach out to the one per a phone call, I felt horrible that in my decision to multitask, I was not then fully present with the other. Internally, I felt such sorrow and remorse.
All throughout the call, I observed the countenance of the one I was with and sensed they had concerns. Upon the close of the call, I reached out to them and asked about their experience while we were out. The emotions they expressed I gathered as much. Though it hurt deeply to hear them verbally share them out loud, I did not hedge or skirt around my actions when called out for it.
It was a tender mercy that as I took personal accountability and ownership for my actions and apologized to them as well as expressed my own frustration and disappointment for not being solely present for them, a distance between us that was created as I tried multitasking was lessened.
When have you experienced a conflict of interest that involved people you care about and your expression of sorrow and remorse to the one you let down by not being fully present for them helped heal a distance that had been created as a result of your actions?
tendermercym❤️ments~jld
“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”
*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.