I thought about posting something for the New Year using the standard cliché about a “fresh start” and while there is, of course, some value to the idea of starting anew I think it’s an angle that has been more than sufficiently covered elsewhere – ad nausea.
So instead I thought I might share something that happened to me this past weekend that acted as a reminder that even when making a “fresh start” it’s good sometimes to just take time to relax and gather your thoughts.
I spent Christmas with my extended family in our little home town about three hours from where I live. I had a wonderful Christmas celebration with family and friends and a great time watching my grandchildren experiencing their first memorable Christmas (they are both around 2!).
Friday morning rolled around and I had a lists of “to-do’s” to do (Russ accuses me often of being a “type-A”) so I got into my truck and . . . BAM! no start! After a lot of fruitless effort and wasted money trying to fix it myself I ended up having to take it to a shop to get it fixed. Well naturally no one is working on the weekend after Christmas so it ended up being Tuesday before I could get it back. The result was basically 72 hours of enforced inactivity! (My brother doesn’t even have a dependable internet connection!).
Well as much as I like to deny being a type-A I have to admit that being sidelined for three days was VERY tough for me. But, as is normal for things that are difficult for us, it turned out to be pretty good for me. I actually was able to sleep in, eat a leisurely breakfast, read a good book, tromp around in the woods that surround my brother’s house and help him with a couple projects around the place. I have to admit that by Tuesday I felt better than I have in some time . . . more rested, relaxed and rejuvenated than my normal busy life allows.
I guess I’m sharing this with you because it is so easy to get caught up in the stress and busy-ness of life even in the best of times and when you are trying to deal with a divorce on top of it all . . . well it can be pretty overwhelming. It’s important to stop every once in awhile, sleep in, read a good book and allow yourself to put all the other insanity on the back burner. Hopefully you won’t have to be like me and wait until life forces you to relax by zapping the fuel pump to your vehicle!
Hope everyone has a happy and prosperous new year and . . .
Be well!
Bill
