Running the Race

A few weeks ago, I taught a Relief Society Lesson focused on a talk by President Thomas S. Monson entitled "Enjoying The Journey." I studied and prepared quite a bit for that lesson and I feel like I'm still growing through it even now. About once a year, okay - twice a year, I have a melt down. It happens because I love life! I like taking on projects, spending time with Bryan, spending time with my kids on their field trips, volunteering in their classrooms, teaching and reading with my kids, running them around to their activities, hosting playdates, cleaning and organizing my house, taking care of my chickens, yardwork, home remodel stuff, caring for my roses and plants, working out, running, spinning, lifting weights, eating healthly, meal planning and shopping for my family, blogging, taking dinners or flowers or eggs to friends that are under the weather or have just had a baby, writing for the IDEA League International Family Network newsletter, being Isaac's Den Mom, visiting with my sweet friends, visiting family, reading in a hot bath, reading for and attending book club, playing guitar, playing in the park with my kids, taking Bay Area fun day trips with my kids, going out to "girls' night out" with my friends, going on dates with Bryan, running the family's finances short term and long term, saving money for kids' college & retirement, managing the family's healthcare and dental care especially Noah's medical insurance care management, designing meals and preparing Noah's Ketogenic meals, meeting with specialists and school study teams to assist in Noah's care, helping families with Keto kids either by phone or on the Keto Yahoo group or through my Keto blog, helping with my high school 20 year reunion plans, attempting to pull together a 40th anniversary drill team reunion, and smaller things like decorating for holidays, Christmas cards, birthday parties,.......

But.........Today I'm saying - "I'm tired of running through my life as if it's a race!" It's not a race! It's a journey!

I go through phases of really being able to Enjoy the Journey of my life and appreciating the smiles, laughter, challenges and moments of each day. At other times, like right now, I feel like I am just running through my life trying to get to the end of the day, feeling like I have taken on too much and not doing anything 100%. I feel like I can't keep my head above water. So, I've dropped a few things, regrouped and trying to take my eyes off of getting to the next thing and look around. I'm writing in my journal about things that make each day a little brighter. Much of these things absolutely cannot be dropped so I'm just trying to experience them at a slower, more relaxed place. It seems to be working today since I actually sat down to write about it.

Whew!