Most days I start out with a to-do list. Sometimes it’s only a mental list, but I have plenty to do and goals that I need to accomplish. My children, though, are usually not aware or appreciative of my “important things to do.” Well-intentioned, I begin my day like a trip, hoping to arrive at certain destinations along the way. I need to get everybody settled into their daily routines- first stop. Next, I’ve got to walk on the treadmill for thirty minutes- second stop. I need to make three phone calls by ten in the morning- third stop. I’m just going through my day, guided by my inner GPS, hoping to get things done. Today, as I encountered one interruption after another, the phrase, “re-calculating…” kept running through my mind. I wanted to leave the house at ten to get some things done, but I had an opportunity to have a long conversation with one of my kids. Re-calculating. I mentally re-arranged the things that could wait and decided to leave at eleven. But my two home schooled kids needed help with their math and that had to take priority. Re-calculating. As the day went along, and the interruptions piled up, the to-do list didn’t seem to be shrinking. I made a lot of u-turns and changed my direction and took detours and found another route. Now that it’s evening and I have time to reflect on the day, I realize that the kid-directed detours that I took from my carefully planned schedule were the sweet parts of the day- the important parts. We may have had macaroni and cheese out of a box for supper, but the important things on my list were taken care of- the people that I care about- and the other things will just have to wait until tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment