Handle with care.

I drove in to work this morning and my mind was a million other places than on the road ahead of me. This is not unusual but today I was so distracted that I jolted back to the drive, twice, as I realized that red tail lights mean stop a little later than I was comfortable with. The weekend had been so perfect. It was filled with friends and happy kids and a morning of sipping champagne at breakfast simply because it was a lovely Saturday. Sunday was quiet and I surprised to a husband that arrived home early from his fishing trip. I fell asleep content with my head on his shoulder.

This morning on the drive to work I thought about Zach, the little 8 year old buy that desperately needs a new kidney. I thought about his mom and the terrifying reality she lives with, knowing her son cannot survive forever without a new kidney. Then I started thinking about Jack, the Benilde hockey player. I thought about his parents and his friends and how dramatically his life has been changed. It is all so difficult to understand.

My mind wandered back and forth through all the sad things I have been hearing about lately. Right now, I am the lucky one. The blessings all around me are abundant and visible. I can touch them, hug them and I am comforted by them. Yet I know that this life I am living is fragile and needs to be handled with great care.

When I arrived at work I looked at the calendar and all the things that are scheduled. There are so many things on there. Are they all important? Yes, to someone they are. But are all the important things on the calendar? No, they are not. We need to step back and see there are some things that will need to be missed. There are things that need to be added where there is not time. We need to take care to be present for the things and people that are most important. We need to do that first. Then we can work to fit in all the rest with whatever time is left.

 

Life is fragile, handle it with care.