Peace In The Margins

Overbooked. That’s what I am – or at least feel like. My calendar and task list are too full. How about you? Is it the season or is it just what we allow to occupy our time?

I only ask these questions because it is a fact that whatever fills our calendar, whatever we prioritize as top billing in our life, should be what matters most. Those top billing things or people should hold the place of utmost importance for us and not be only drudgery that must be done – a box to simply check when completed.

Why do we allow this to occur? Why do we allow things that don’t matter to fill the places where all the things that should matter are supposed to fill? God, church, family, friends, experiences, travel… Instead we work, come home, allow our frustrations of the day to overflow – and in the words of a dear friend, “vomit onto those around us.”

I’m not writing this to criticize anyone – if you feel your toes a little smashed, I suppose you should contemplate what that means for you. In my case, I write this as a confession of sorts – yes, I love my job and the direction my career path is taking. I find joy and pride in the positive impact public service provides. Yet, I also realize the sacrifice my family makes for me to accomplish this.

My calendar is filled with appointments, conferences, events, and the like – which in turn cause me to work extra hard to create quality experiences – moments to remember forever with those I love. I know to Whom I belong and serve only Him. I also love my husband dearly, and want to make sure he knows it now – I never want it to be an unanswered question to which I assume he knows the answer.

So, overbooked? No, not overbooked; simply a full life where strategic planning is necessary to ensure those life-long, memory-making experiences are achieved with the ones I love most.

Until next time,

Alicia