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Q: What is mine to do?
A: Accept.
I need to accept that I will make mistakes, that I won't get everything done, and that it is okay. For instance, this week I:
- Forgot to turn in my mileage.
- Showed up at the wrong school to lead professional development for our late arrival day. The school I needed to be at was nearly 30 minutes away. (Really, it's remarkable I've not done this before now. I'm in and out of six different schools on a regular basis.)
- Missed my deadline with Stenhouse for Celebrating Writers.
- Didn't respond to emails I really wanted to get to.
- Ran out of time for my third run of the week.
But look, the world is still spinning. None of those things were devastating to my career, family, or health. Everything is working out -- maybe even for the better. I'm learning to accept my mistakes. I can't possibly do everything I want to do in a single day. There's not enough time. I will always be wishing I can do more. And sometimes, when life gets really full and busy I'm going to mess up. I have to accept that this is just part of the way I choose to live.
I would rather live to the fullest, knowing some days or weeks are going to be crazy-busy and I'm not going to keep up, than to have perfect order and plenty of time for limited commitments. Mine to do is accepting a life that is purposeful, but sometimes a little overwhelming.
Amen! And you really are human! :) You are always so thoughtful and reflective - and then to capture it so eloquently and honestly. You sure do amaze me! Seems pretty "accept-tional"!
ReplyDeleteI love the last line, ". Mine to do is accepting a life that is purposeful, but sometimes a little overwhelming.? Yes, how true. I love your acceptance of mistakes and moving on. I'm still working on that. I wonder how you were on the 30 minute drive from the wrong school to the right school.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Michelle - I appreciate your honesty. Being able to capture that feeling was probably very helpful for you, but by sharing it on your blog, it helps those who can relate as opposed to if it was tucked away in a writer's notebook (I have so many WN entries sifting through similar thoughts/feelings).
ReplyDeleteThis year I have been thinking a lot about blog posts that really speak to me and help me put things in perspective, such as this post and Ali Edwards' posts. Little by little it helps to build that sense of community and to help me to share additional layers of myself, so thank you so much for letting us learn from your insights!
Ruth, thanks for sharing how we need to accept what can be done and continue. Our to-do lists sometimes outweigh the larger priorty list. Breathe. I'm smiling at you and sending a hug. I'm so proud of all that you do. You are truly a remarkable young lady who models acceptance, courage, and perserverence on a daily basis. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for saying what we all need to say Ruth. BTW-I put the cheese in the bread basket a couple of days ago-it was very soft & ripe when I discovered it! Here's to acceptance!
ReplyDeleteAccept is such a great word. I'm glad the world did not stop spinning when all those things happened (or didn't happen). I'm really working very hard on this word and concept. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteSo true! It's seems that we are always harder on ourselves. The fact that you have so many things that you want to do means you'll never get bored. We strive to do it all, but if we got it All done, what would we do next? Acceptance...allows us to carry on with confidence. Good for you!
ReplyDeletePutting it all in perspective is so important. As you say, "But look, the world is still spinning. None of those things were devastating to my career, family, or health." Blessings on your journey of acceptance.
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