The To-Do List

My to-do list is long. Lots of the things, like going to band and orchestra concerts to watch my kids, are fun things to do. But other things on my multiple to-do lists are not so fun - like plugging away at a work project that's already running behind then there's laundry, making dinner and so on. And with Christmas around the corner the to-do list is even longer than normal and it's not possible to get everything done - but I try to get everything, and then some, done anyway.

As a result of all of my "to-dos" I'm carrying stress around with me like an overloaded backpack.
I haven't been feeling well.
I've been running myself into the ground.
And my family has noticed.

Tonight my husband, Owen, took the kids out to do some Christmas shopping. I was looking forward to a night at home so I could get some work done. Baking. Christmas cards. Work. Dishes. More work.

Work, work and more work.
Seriously?
I was looking forward to a night of work?
Oh boy.

Something is out of balance, I realized. But I felt like I had no choice. I HAD to work hard to get everything done on my to-do list for the evening. And as I hurried to get dinner and start the dishes and plan out my evening my son, Ryan, started writing something on a piece of paper.

"I have a list for you, Mom," he said when he was done.
That list changed my plans for the evening.
And this is good.
Because I needed to make some positive changes but wasn't making them happen on my own.

Sometimes positive inspiration comes from a list written by a ten-year-old boy who loves you very much and knows what you need more than anything...

What was on the list?
It's a checklist that says:

list
Mom

Meditate
Read 30 min.
Rest

After this you may do phone and dishes and work but cannot before done
(signed with a smily face)

I will admit, I looked at the list and thought "No way! Read for a whole 30 minutes? That's too long and I won't be getting any of my work done if I sit and read. And meditate? Okay maybe I can meditate for a few minutes but how about if I count that as rest so I can check two things off at once? Or what if I read while I eat dinner so I can do two things at once? And...and..."

In the end I followed orders and I did everything on my to-do list - one thing at a time.
And I feel a lot better now.

Smart kid, that Ryan.

Thanks, buddy :)
Love, Mom











Comments

Joy Riggs said…
So sweet! Glad you listened to Ryan.
December 19, 2012 at 10:01 PM
Pamela said…
What a darling boy!
January 9, 2013 at 12:20 AM
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