Press Pause
Press Pause
A Sixty-Word Short Story*:
Arthur, please don’t call me Art, typically saw the world through a half-empty glass. He had trained himself to believe that most people do not keep their promises and based on the many times he had felt misled, he was angrily responding to a date-cancelling text. Another let down he thought, but intuitively he paused. Then he changed his mind.
And more…
A strategically placed pause in our thinking is like taking a time out in sports during a close game. Sometimes we need to take a deep breath and let some fresh oxygen seep into our brain. For Arthur, in our story, he was able to hit “pause” before he texted something he might regret. Of course we don’t know for sure what happened next for Arthur, but the extra moment and time taken to consider his options gave him a chance to rethink his reaction. And like letting a steak sit after cooking for a few minutes to allow the juices to circulate, I like to believe that he got it right.
In today’s fast moving digital communications world we live in, reaction time has become shortened and squeezed out of the conversation. There is a tendency to respond and clear the inbox immediately and sometimes without a real thought about the repercussions. We communicate in a terse, emoji-based language that masquerades as thoughtful dialogue. Yes, it’s easy and fast to connect with folks but often it can be shallow, misunderstood, or simply wrong, especially if we’re just reacting and not thinking about whether we got it right.
“The Pause that Refreshes” was a theme for a Coca Cola campaign (circa 1929) which ran for 30 years. It was a universal reminder over three decades that we all might find clarity and perspective with a brief break, even if it’s in just a nick of time. By inserting a pause in the communications process before we react, whether we sip a coke or some water or we set aside a decision for a sec, we give ourselves a chance to reboot and refresh our thinking; a chance to get it right.
Final Thought: There is always time to redo something if we get it wrong, but with a simple pause we may just get it right the first time.
* The Premise: Always 60 words. No more. No Less. For more stories like this and information about my books, please visit www.szenzone.com
Szenzone – Stories of life and the power to change yours – is sent via email by request and is published weekly or thereabouts. For back issues or to receive this publication directly please email [email protected] © Gary Szenderski 2025 All Rights Reserved. Gary is an author, branding specialist and teaches at the University of California in Irvine. He specializes in helping people and organizations navigate change – if you or your company needs assistance contact Gary directly. Gary resides in Southern California and welcomes your comments.