My next organizing victim will be the kitchen....who wants to come help me? Or save Justin before he goes insane from all of my questions and ideas.
I went to Target today to pick up some much needed storage totes and organizing elements for the bathroom. As I was in a panic about which shower caddy to get, I noticed a young girl walk by.
She was with her mother and two siblings.
She let out a giant laugh, so I was instantly drawn to her smile and positive spirit.
I loved her adorable purple outfit (my favorite color). I noticed she was losing her hair.
A lot of her hair. I couldn't help but wonder if she had cancer.
Was she going through chemo? What disease was she battling at such a young age?
And then I thought about the email I received from my friend Meggie Dials.
We were emailing back and forth about a recent recipient for The Sussy Project. I told her how thankful I am for being a part of this project that connects me with such amazing and inspiring people - who have such happy hearts and positive outlooks, despite their often unfortunate circumstances.
She told me that being a part of this project gives her so much perspective on life. Yesterday a woman died before Meggie had the sussy her (a sussy is a gift for no reason - check more more here: http://thesussyproject.com/).
I stopped my cart at the store and took a moment to just put everything into perspective. Everything will be fine. Cooper is coming into this world with or without the perfect towel rack. The only thing that matters is having a healthy, happy baby and making it out of the whole birth experience as a healthy mommy too.
It's easy for us to get caught up in never-ending list of tasks.
Run to the store.
Make dinner.
Buy this gift.
Send an email (or 5).
Clean this room.
Organize that room.
Mow the lawn (never on my list, thankfully or it would look like alien crop circles in our backyard).
Visit this person.
Exercise.
Complete this project at work.
Pay this bill.
And then pay another bill.
Write all those thank you cards.
It's a little overwhelming.
And when you look at everything in a list like that, you can find yourself feeling discouraged and dissatisfied about your life. So much to do, so "little time."
But is that really the case?
Do you really need to do everything today?
I bet those dishes will still be waiting for you tomorrow if you can't do them today.
The grass can't REALLY grow that much more overnight, can it?
That email you need to send can probably wait until the morning.
Put everything into perspective and try to focus on what really matters today. Right now.
I started this blog post last night, but when I got home - I didn't finish it.
And even though I purchased all sorts of organizing racks and totes, I didn't finish organizing Cooper's room.
I simply cooked dinner, snuggled with Bandit, and decided to tackle ONE thing on my list that evening: write my thank you cards.
And when Justin came home from golfing last night, I was laying in my nightie and I had already showered by 8 pm.
He asked what I did that evening, I said, "Nothing really. And it was awesome."
Instead of checking my email at every stop light and stop sign on the way to work this morning, I kept my phone in my purse. I took time to watch the children running toward the school bus. I noticed a young boy, who was anxiously looking up at the sky while waiting on the bus.
What was he thinking?
What was he dreaming about?
What was he hoping for?
And then I thought of Cooper. I pictured him years from now - waiting for the school bus. What would be thinking? What would he be dreaming? What would he be hoping for?
If I can learn to put things into perspective - not try to over analyze and over plan every second of my life - I'll be around to ask him to answer those questions. And instead of being distracted by my never-ending list of tasks, I'll open up my ears and heart to listen to each word that comes out of his mouth.
So here is to learning how to put everything into perspective.
Finding more balance and peace in my life.
And slowing down.
I'll bet the little girl with cancer and the woman who recently passed away would encourage me to do the same.
Much love,
Ashley
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