Slow Down (Remember to Live)

I crumpled into a heap on the back deck, angry clouds of pain filling my entire consciousness. How does one miss the last step? I’ll admit there was a great deal of writhing and wailing before I felt like I could attempt to move and walk. And gratefully it’s just a sprain, and I’m fully able to walk. Cautiously.

This fall came at the end of a long day of To-Do lists and frustrated words at the children I felt were distracting me from my work. The instant I hit that deck, I knew. This was a wake-up call. I was so busy being “productive” that I was forgetting to live. I knew this was a chance to start over; to redeem this already-too-short summer before it was completely gone. I instantly knew I needed to embrace more squirmy bathing-suit clad bodies, read more good fiction, go on more walks, spend more minutes tucking in at bedtime, take some more time to make memories and mess, and less dollars and stress.

Sometimes we get a second chance. Sometimes we break a bone or two before we slow down. I’m taking this “opportunity” to reclaim my relationship with my kids before it’s too late.

And they’re pretty awesome at bringing me ice packs and coffee. It’s a win-win.