Priorities

Yesterday was a scrambling, frazzled sort of day.  I scribbled more and more items on my to do list as the day passed and with each item, had the sinking feeling I wasn't going to get everything done.

Finally, to clear the clouds in my head, I sat down with a colored pen (I love my colored-correcting-school-work pens...I use them for correcting errant to do lists too.)  and rewrote my list on a separate piece of paper (writing = thinking) to prioritize.

For example, make bread was on the list.

I had been fully intending to get bread made.  My children have been complaining that I haven't made it for awhile.  And bread is easy to make.  I've been making it since I was 12.  It takes time though.

There's the rub.

By the time I was finished with my concentrated and all encompassing school morning, there was driving my children to their play practice and then picking them up, then there was driving boys to basketball practice, then there was a RS presidency meeting.

I crossed bread off the list.  I wasn't going to be available for a long enough time span to make it happen.

I think I was muttering to myself while I was coming to grips with the reality of the list.  Braeden, who always Knows, asked, "What's wrong, Mom?"

Without looking up I said, "I have more to do than I can do.  Too much to do."  Then more muttering.

Full of empathy he walked toward me, put his hand on my shoulder.  "Mom," he said kindly, "You don't have to do all that (indicating the list).  Just don't do it all."

"OK," I said, sitting up straight to look in his concerned eyes.  "I won't take you to basketball practice then."

"Oh.  No, I mean, don't do the unimportant things."

Exactly.

Not for the first time, I feel like I owe my mother an apology.  I am pretty sure I had similar conversations with her.  Something like, "Well just don't BE so busy."

When she was busy because of me all along.