I’m sitting on the couch, before the sun rises on a Sunday morning, coffee in hand. I tell The Boy, I have a busy day today.
It’s true, I do have a busy day. Tomorrow morning I start teaching two new courses for an online university which means today is full of material review, uploading information, setting up the gradebook and leaving welcome notes for my students.
That’s in addition to the “normal” busy-stuff, like laundry and ironing and feeding furballs (and humans).
And that’s when I realized that I always have more to-do and more “busy” than I can possibly achieve.
But here’s the even more profound realization: I’m just not going to worry about it anymore.
- I’d like to grow my own tomatoes to make homemade spaghetti sauce. But that’s probably not going to happen.
- I’d like to have a spotlessly clean house. I’m very sure that’s not going to happen!
- It would be wonderful to play with the furballs for 30 minutes each every day. Maybe I can just let them take care of playing with each other instead.
- I’d prefer that I wash the dirty pots and pans before going to bed in the evening. Judging from the morning sink this past week, I’ve not done so well with that lately.
I could go on. But I won’t.
Sometimes the best thing I can do is go for a walk to Baskin Robbins with The Boy and The Niece. Or half-watch an old episode of Gunsmoke while grading papers. Or lay in bed for an extra 30 minutes, snuggling with The Boy.
It’s fine. It’s good. Life won’t end just because the dishes aren’t washed or there’s dust on the bookshelves. But I’m pretty sure I’d regret not enjoying my days in addition to living them.
There will always be more stuff that needs to be done. Some of it is just more important. It's a matter of priorities.
An overachievers life can be stressful.
Dust If You Must….
~~ Author Unknown~~
Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?
Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.
Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.
Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.
Remember, a house becomes a home when you can write
"I love you" on the furniture…..
Ah, so true!
And I love the poem. Truly I do – and may post it at the house.