Exhale

I like to talk out both sides of my mouth sometimes. Not super proud of that. For example, I talk about how I wish that the kids would sleep in and give me that much more time to center myself for the day. And then on the rare occasion that they both sleep in (it should be noted that "sleeping in" means 7:45 a.m.), I can't leave well enough alone and find myself worrying that maybe something is wrong. So instead of sitting back with that second cup of coffee, I risk forfeiting my alone time in the morning to creak open their doors and watch their little bellies go in and out.

Ironically enough, simply watching them sleep centers me in a way that few other things can. There's something so soothing about watching a slumbering babe- completely unaware of world events, politics, terrorist threats, deadlines, mounting to-do lists. Watching them sleep reminds me that I, too, came into this world with an innate sense of being in the moment. I slept when I needed rest. I ate when I was hungry. I played with abandon. Whatever it was I was doing at the time almost always got 100% of my focus. The concept (burden) of multi-tasking was not yet dictating the structure of my entire day.

Do more. Be more. Not enough. Finish this. Start this. Don't forget. Email, text, call, log on, connect and whatever you do, don't drop the spinning plates you're balancing all day, every day. Round and round and round...

Then, the inevitable crash and burn.


Thank you, my sweet boy, for reminding me that sometimes it's enough to just breathe in and out.