Choices

This past week, I had the privilege of spending two days with my son Wyatt on an environmental field trip to Upham Woods in the Wisconsin Dells. It was a wonderful time of sharing and spending time with my youngest son.

Yet, we all know that time away like this often does not come without some price. For me the price was the anxiety that I felt upon my return of all the 'catch up' I would need to do both at home and at work. As the minutes ticked on-edging me closer to the work day ahead, the list of complaints mounted.--'there are not enough hours in the day to get it all done', why do others seem so much more relaxed?, what is wrong with me...that I can't do it all?', I was so focused on what I wasn't getting done, that I was losing the beauty of the time that I had spent in the past two days. I was missing out on the time I had in the car with two interesting teen daughters--who actually wanted to come with me--even if it was for first choice on the snack and drink items. As I drove on I recalled what Mrs. Storms, the fifth grade teacher announced the kids after breakfast. "Today is October 14th-2008. It is the only October 14th 2008 you'll ever have. Greet the day!" So there it was-the evening of October 14th 2008. The only one I'd ever get. So I chose to shrug off the 'to do list' and enjoyed the fact that I had two daughters to shop with, money to buy the groceries-along with a tub full of cookie dough, and the anticipation of fresh baked cookies and cold milk before bed.