The Clock Ran Away

For a long time, I've recited my own nursery rhyme. It is the frazzled mama's version of "Hickory Dickory Dock" and "Hey Diddle Diddle". It goes like this:

And the clock ran away with my mind.

Catchy isn't it? It's copyrighted, so you can quote it, but it's all my original work. I know, I know, that English degree finally paid off. Ha!

Seriously though, can you relate? Certainly I'm not the only one who has felt like there's just not enough time or like time is literally running out. Sometimes I even hear "it's the final countdown" playing in stereo in my head. You too?

The truth of the matter is: there is always enough time.

I find this to be especially difficult to believe in North Dakota in August. All the back-to-school supplies have been out since early July, the pools are closing, the nights are closing in faster and there's that familiar nip in the air. It's not that any of those things are bad -- they're not -- nor that I dislike fall. I don't. But these seasonal changes bring with them a sense of urgency.

I hear it in almost every conversation I have. "I'm just trying to squeeze out as much sunshine as possible." {Newsflash: we have sunny days in the winter, in fact we have as many sunny days as the San Francisco area.} Or "I just don't want summer to end" and "It's practically winter already."

Guys. Stop. Take a breath. Enjoy this moment right now because you don't get it back and if you feel like time is running out, those melancholy statements aren't going to make you feel any better.

So, again, back to the truth of the matter: there is always enough time.

If that's hard to believe right now, I get it. The thing that helps me the most when I'm starting to panic about time running out? Some slow deep breathing. Seriously. Try it. Go ahead, I'll wait.

The other thing that helps? Making lists. I like to list out all the things I still want to do with "the time that's left." From there I can prioritize what is going to be prolong the summer feelings and make those things happen. And then I make a list of all the things I'm excited to do in the next season like top my sundresses for my denim jacket.

My whole Momster Monday was about this very thing. Check it out.

And if you're still feeling restless, maybe you need a breather. Check out my Thoughtful Thursday.