BREATHE, Just Breathe
Driving across town yesterday, I couldn’t buy a red light. I prayed, I hoped, but no. Every single light magically turned green as I approached. Was I running early? Of course not, it’s me. Distracted driving? Possibly. If you consider that I had my boot balanced on my lap trying to reposition the orthotic insert I had jammed in it on my way out the door.
In the last minutes of departure from home, I got the brilliant idea to switch these foot marvels from my tennis shoes to my boots. A long day with no time for a wardrobe change stretched before me, much of it standing on my feet. As I made the short walk to the car, it became evident that there was a compatibility issue in the right foot. And so at the one stop sign between home and my first destination, I unzipped the boot, planning to use the customary red lights to get the problem fixed. And then, instead, I was treated to a straight shot with no layovers.
And where was I headed in such a state of angst? Starbucks. Yep. For coffee. Somehow the thought that I could take the needed 20 seconds to finish the adjustment, once safely parked, didn’t enter my head until I found myself hyperventilating as the grand finale of a big green arrow ushered me into the Target lot. I parked, shoved the insert in and crisis averted. It dawned on me that this really wasn’t that big of a deal. I took a deep breath, and then another. In fact, I even said – BREATHE, Laura, BREATHE – just for effect.
It is easy for me to get caught up in a project that I think needs to be done right this minute and lose sight of the big picture. I want to get things done NOW, and I begin to lose focus because of my tunnel vision for an immediate resolution.
As the holiday countdown begins, (and believe me folks – it has begun! I work retail, I know these things…), I will be reminding myself to breathe often. Out there, in the not-so-real world of marketing and Black Friday hype, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. But in the quiet of our home and hearts, we haven’t even had Thanksgiving, people! I want to enjoy the blessing of a holiday that centers on remembering all God has provided for us this past year.
I will have to remind myself often in the weeks to come to take a deep breath and then another. I need to slow down and enjoy the pumpkin spice latte, the last of the beauty of fall, and then move into Advent and Christmas. In a world that loves multi-tasking and thrives on packing in more than is physically possible and definitely spiritually draining, it is with effort that we all just S-L-O-W down and for goodness sake…..breathe!
May God bless you as you take time to count your many blessings and express your thanks to Him in grateful praise!