Time’s up, I’m booked, so I’m done

Published 12:21 am Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Two sentences into this column and I notice that the words on the screen aren’t there. That, my friends, is a perfect illustration to the day.

I have 15 minutes before I have to leave to pick up a kid and shuttle her to a ball field somewhere.

I stop and think, “How did my life become this hectic?”

I know. I did it to myself. I should’ve known I had a problem when I had to make a special trip to Books-A-Million for a specialized planner to record our comings and goings. It is pretty neat – with a row for every person in the house. Since I don’t have a clone, it keeps me from double booking myself on any given day.

Said kid just called too, and said there is nothing to eat at her daddy’s house and I have to take five minutes off that 15-minute total.

A quick Google search and I know that I am a member of “the too busy club.”

It said, “In this technology-driven world, we can do more, so we do—and we love it. We feel effective and powerful as we check items off our lists and use our cell phones, BlackBerrys, and computers, sometimes all at once. We’re multitasking, doing as much as we can in the least amount of time. We’re active, creative and engaged! In demand! Being too busy makes us feel as though we’re making an impact.”

I do so like feeling I have an impact.

Now that I have a diagnosis, I wonder what it will take to fix things.

Golda Meir said, “At work, you think of the children you have left at home. At home, you think of the work you’ve left unfinished. Such a struggle is unleashed within yourself. Your heart is rent.”

I know exactly what she means.

I worry that I don’t spend enough time with my family. I try to make sure that what we do spend together is quality time. I worry that I don’t make time for myself, and I know I should. We all should.

My mother is always telling me, “You go to much. You need to slow down.” I think we all need to slow down, but it’s really, really hard. I’d promise to will try and do better, but I’m not sure I can follow through.

We rush to and fro, worrying about things that truly aren’t in our control, while pushing aside the things that we have absolute control over.

I know one thing I have control over – saying, “I’m done.”

And with that, I’m done. Got to get that girl to soccer – and I’m only behind two minutes.